


Surprises

by ReidFan



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-21
Updated: 2016-12-10
Packaged: 2018-08-23 20:36:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 26,428
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8341876
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReidFan/pseuds/ReidFan
Summary: #8 in my Spencer and Melissa series. With birth impending, Spencer arranges a surprise for Melissa. And with JJ's help, there's a surprise planned for Spencer.





	1. Chapter 1

Surprises

A Criminal Minds Fanfiction   K+

#8 in the Spencer/Melissa series

(Reid/Original character Melissa Martin Reid)

 

 _“Life is full of surprises_ ”- John Major

 

“ _The moments of happiness we enjoy take us by surprise. It is not that we seize them, but that they seize us._ ”—Ashley Montagu

 

*********************************************************

 

He sat on the BAU jet in a seat next to fellow agent Jennifer Jareau and lowered his voice as he asked her,

 

“You’re sure?”

 

She smiled as she nodded, sipping her drink. “Honestly, Spence, it’ll be great, just you wait.”

 

They were en route home from their latest successful case in Oregon, and Supervisory Special Agent Dr. Spencer Reid was seeking his best friend’s opinion about a surprise he was concocting for his very pregnant and now bedridden wife.

 

“I thought you were on leave Reid?” Agent Tara Lewis asked as she dropped into the seat across from them. She had two fresh cups of coffee in her hands and she leaned forward, offering one to him. He accepted gratefully before teasing her,

 

“We just spent two days on a case and you’re just noticing now that I’m here?”

 

“To be honest, I completely forgot about the leave until I turned my phone on just now and the calendar beeped to remind me my vacation time next month’s been cancelled. And when I remembered why, it just jogged my memory.”

 

“Yeah, I am but Cruz asked me to just help out on this one case.”

 

“It’s a good thing he did. None of the rest of us would ever have figured out that coded clue in Humphrey’s papers,” Lewis told him.

 

He smiled at her and shook his head, “You guys woulda got it.”

 

“Ten years from now maybe,” JJ laughed for a moment then grew serious. “You know, we could have emailed you copies of those papers, you would’ve been able to do this from home, don’t you think?”

 

Reid considered this for a moment then concurred. “Yeah, I suppose.”

 

“We’ll mention it to Cruz, Spence. You really should be home with Melissa.”

 

“I know. You’re right. And after,” he paused, not wanting to actually bring up the subject of his wife’s kidnapping, “what happened last month, I really shouldn’t be leaving her anymore ‘til after the babies are here.”

 

“I’m gonna make Garcia promise to upload any necessary files to you at home from now on. No more coming with us until little Derek and little Penelope are here,” JJ vowed.

 

Lewis’ brow furrowed. “You’re naming those babies Derek and Penelope?”

 

Reid shook his head vigorously, “Absolutely not. JJ, stop!” he laughed.

 

“Did you guys pick names yet, Spence?” JJ asked.

 

He took a sip of the coffee, set the cup down on the table and sighed. “Melissa wants to name our son Spencer. I really do not want that but,” he leaned forward and made a face like he was about to impart a huge secret, “I find it almost impossible to say no to anything Melissa wants, you know? She’s been through so much, I feel, I don’t know, _petty_ wanting to deny her this.”

 

“Then don’t. Spencer is a fine name,” Tara told him.

 

Senior Supervisory Agent David Rossi chose that moment to drop down into the vacant seat beside Tara. 

 

“Are we naming the Reid babies?” he asked, because I have a suggestion for the boy. Smiling, he fixed Reid with a glance and said “David Aaron Derek” after your three favourite colleagues.”

 

Tara punched him in the arm playfully “Spencer Junior is apparently the frontrunner.”

 

Reid laughed and sat back, shaking his head, “You guys are absolutely _no_ help whatsoever.”

 

“What are you talking about, Spence? I’m helping you with the surprise, am I not?”

 

“What surprise?” Tara asked, “More surprises?”

 

Reid shook his head again and JJ dropped the subject. Lewis was perceptive enough to realise Reid didn’t want to pursue this avenue and changed the subject,

 

“So. I am dragging my butt to my mom’s place for the weekend. Haven’t seen her since I got taken on full time here, and want to let her know. You guys have any plans?”

 

Rossi sipped his drink and replied, “I’m writing another book. Going to do some research this weekend.”

 

“Sounds good, Dave,” she acknowledged, then turned to Reid and JJ, “What about you guys?”

 

“Well, Will’s working Saturday. Haven’t thought ahead any more than that yet,” JJ answered her.

 

“It’ll depend on how Melissa’s feeling I guess. I might just take Anna out for a while, just to give Melissa some peace and quiet,” Reid contributed.

 

“That’s so thoughtful,” Tara commented.

 

They all settled in for the rest of their flight home and landed in sunny DC late Thursday afternoon. Rossi dismissed them all, insisting they’d been debriefed earlier on the plane. 

 

“I’ll go back to the office and file our reports,” he said, collecting files from them all, “See you Monday morning.” He paused then looked at Reid, “And see you, well, whenever.”

 

He strode off and Lewis said her goodbyes and headed to her car.

 

JJ and Reid walked together to Jareau’s vehicle. After stowing their bags, they climbed into the SUV and JJ drove off.

 

“So, tomorrow morning?” Reid asked.

 

“No problem. I’ll take the kids to school. Will’s home with Michael. 930 am, right?”

 

“Yes. You’re sure this’ll be okay?” 

 

“Absolutely! See you after Melissa’s doctor appointment then.”

 

Fifteen minutes later, JJ pulled into the Reids’ driveway. Spencer took his house key off his key ring and handed it over to her. “The alarm code is 140412. Took your advice and had the house alarmed after last month.”

 

She nodded her approval. “Be better if it was a finger swipe though, wouldn’t it?”

 

“It actually has that too, but the digital code is for instances like this, JJ.”

 

“All right then, it’s set, we’ll see you some time after Melissa’s doctor’s appoint—oh, wait Spence. I know! Remember we were trying to figure out how to make it take longer? Take her out for lunch after. Make it like a special day for her.”

 

He considered this for a moment and nodded, “It’ll make this even more a surprise, won’t it? If she thinks I’m up to something, the lunch out might be that.” Opening the car door, he stepped out, picked up his go bag, his messenger bag and the enormous stuffed bear he’d bought in Oregon, and told her “Thanks again, see you tomorrow.”

 

He waved goodbye from the front steps, set down his luggage and the bear and sent a text (‘ _everything is all set’_ ). After deleting the message, he shoved the phone back in his pocket and made sure his hands were full with his luggage and the bear, and then rang the doorbell, hoping Melissa would buy the hands full as a viable excuse for not using his key.

 

He heard Muttli bark from in the house and waited for a moment before ringing the doorbell again. Another few minutes went by and the door wasn’t answered and suddenly Spencer’s heart went to his throat. _Why wasn’t Melissa answering?_ He worried.

 


	2. Chapter 2

Dropping his luggage and bear once again, he took several deep breaths to calm himself and retrieved his phone from his pocket. He clicked it on and almost immediately admonished himself aloud,

 

“For Pete's sakes, how’d I forget—“ he muttered, swiping his way through the application icons on the phone until he found the one he was looking for. He tapped on garage door opener application and stepped back as the door opened, revealing the family’s red Escape inside. His brow furrowed as his original worry reasserted itself and he grabbed his bags and the bear and raced to the back of the garage where there was a door leading into the back room of the house. As a convenience, they’d made this door lock and unlock with their finger swipes so the key wasn’t necessary and he hurried inside, disengaged then reengaged the alarm, dropped his bags and the bear and ran up the stairs to the master bedroom, Muttli on his heels. 

 

Again, his heart was in his throat as he threw open the door and came to a full stop. Melissa was fast asleep, laying—sort of—on her back but propped up with pillows as the weight of the babies made almost every position uncomfortable. He broke out laughing, as it was now apparent why she hadn’t heard the doorbell. She was wearing noise-cancelling headphones. He grinned wryly; although he couldn’t understand how she could possibly fall asleep listening to the hard rock she favoured. After checking, and satisfied that she was just comfortably sleeping, he tiptoed out the door, closing it behind him and beckoned Muttli to follow him back downstairs.

 

Once in the kitchen, he retrieved the box of dog biscuits from a cupboard and offered one to Muttli, 

 

“Sorry about that, buddy, wasn’t trying to ignore you, I was just a little worried about Mel.” He gave the dog several minutes of uninterrupted head pats and under the chin scritches and told him repeatedly what a good boy he was. 

 

He retrieved his bags and the bear from the back room and stepped into their home office. Leaving his messenger bag draped over the office chair, he picked the bear up and made his way into the kitchen where he sat the bear in the chair normally occupied at meal times by Anna. 

 

A quick glance at his watch told him Anna would be home from school in less than an hour, and he wondered whether it was JJ or Melissa who’d be picking the kids up today. He padded around the kitchen, thinking he could be helpful by starting dinner. Opening the refrigerator, he spotted a container of chicken, apparently set to marinate. Shrugging, he returned to his suitcase and decided to unpack it, taking the dirty laundry back to the laundry room then returning and stowing the empty suitcase in the front hall closet.

 

He wandered around the lower level of the house for several minutes, with the intention of straightening up but found nothing out of place. Even Anna’s playroom was completely picked up. Frowning, it was clear to Spencer that although Melissa was on bed rest, she was still performing household tasks and he made a mental note to take this up with her later.

 

Sitting down in the living room, he made a call to make arrangements for tomorrow’s lunch. About fifteen minutes later, he noticed Muttli making his way upstairs. He heard Melissa in the bathroom and waited for her as she came downstairs.

 

“Oh! You’re home!” her face lit up with happiness as she hurried—as much as her pace could be considered hurried—down the last few stairs and flew into his waiting arms.

 

“Yeah, just got back a little while ago, didn’t want to wake you.” They walked arm and arm into the kitchen and Melissa laughed when she saw the occupant of Anna’s seat.

 

“You didn’t?”

 

“I did.” He laughed, “She deserves a special treat every now and then too, doesn’t she?”

 

“That’s so sweet, she loves polar bears.”

 

“Ah!” Spencer held up one hand, “but this is not a polar bear, _this_ is a Spirit Bear. A black bear offspring with the double recessive gene found only in the subspecies native to, um, the Central and Northern coast of British Columbia, Canada actually. Not from Oregon. Ursus americanus kermodei, commonly called Kermode Bear,” he paused and chuckled and said, “I should save the explanation for Anna, shouldn’t I?”

 

Melissa reached up to kiss him and he returned it fervently. Disengaging after a long moment, he asked, 

 

“Whose turn to pick up the kids at school today?”

 

“It’s mine, actually—“

 

“I’ll do it,” he offered.

 

“Aw, thank you, I’ll get dinner going.”

 

“Melissa. You need to slow down and take it easy. I was gonna tidy up around the house and you’d already done it.”

 

She shook her head.

 

“How?” 

 

“Anna did it, Spence.” She heard us talking about how I’m supposed to be in bed the other day. Yesterday, after she got home from school, I found her in the playroom straightening up and dusting. She wanted to vacuum, Spence. I wouldn’t let her. I said you’d take care of it when you got back.”

 

He nodded his agreement with that.

 

  “If the living room’s been picked up and dusted, she did that too. It sure wasn’t me. When I came downstairs this morning, she’d already let Muttli out for a pee and was giving him breakfast. I’ve been in bed almost all day, Spence.”

 

He steered her towards the stairs and took her back upstairs to the bedroom, motioning for her to get back into bed.

 

“You need to stay off your feet, Mel. I’ll go get Anna now, and she can help me make dinner when we get back—“

 

Melissa started to interrupt and he put a finger on her lips.

 

“Seriously, Get in the bed. Now.” He directed sternly.

 

“I can’t wait until you say that again for my favourite reason.”

 

He laughed and shook his head, “You’re incorrigible.”

 

“If that means I miss making love with my husband, well, _yeah_.”

 

“I miss that too, but it won’t be for much longer.”

 

“At least another six weeks!”

 

“I know.” He bent down to tuck the blankets in around her and found himself enclosed in a fierce hug. Immediately, he sat down beside her and returned the embrace, then reassured her,

 

“I’m counting the days.”

 

“I’m counting the minutes!”

 

His reply was lost in the air as she closed the distance between their faces and kissed him thoroughly. Finally, he managed to extract himself and reminded her,

 

“I gotta go get Anna!”

 

“And Henry.”

 

“And Henry,” he agreed. He rose, pointed an accusing finger at her and repeated his earlier edict, “Stay in bed!”

 

“Okay, okay!” 

 

“Promise me!”

 

“I will stay in bed,” she began.

 

“That’s good,” he smiled.

 

“Unless I have to go to the bathroom.”

 

He threw his hands up in defeat, and fixed her with a stare, “I mean it. Stay in bed. Except for that, yeah.”

 

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	3. Chapter 3

“Hurry up, Anna, Henry’s mommy will be here any minute!” Melissa moved slowly, holding one hand against her back as she tried to cajole Anna into picking up the pace. 

 

“Can I take Kermode to school with me today, Mommy?” Anna asked. The bear had been a hit, and had spent the night beside Anna’s bed. She started towards the staircase to get it and stopped when she heard her mother’s reply.

 

“Oh Honey, no. Can that wait until Daddy’s taking you to school? I don’t want Mrs. LaMontagne to have to be carrying your things.” She grimaced as one of the babies moved and pressed against her bladder. 

 

“Okay, Mommy,” she sighed, disappointed.

 

The doorbell rang and Anna grabbed her backpack from the chair in the kitchen and ran to give her mother a hug before racing down the hallway to the door.

 

“Have a great day, Sweet Pea!” Melissa called after her as she slowly made her way down the hall behind her daughter.

 

“Bye Muttli! Bye Daddy!” she hollered up the stairs as she went through the door and shut it behind her. 

 

Melissa locked the door behind Anna and slowly made her way up the stairs. About half way up the staircase, she could hear the shower running and sighed, turning around to go back down to use the ground level powder room.

 

A few minutes later, she emerged and made her way up the stairs. Spencer was still in the bathroom and she sat down on their bed to wait for him. Muttli padded into the room, received a few minutes of Melissa’s attention then decided he’d had enough, making his way into Anna’s room where he curled up on the floor next to her bed and promptly fell asleep beside Kermode who was now residing in a place of honour next to Anna’s night table.

 

Melissa sighed. The weight of the babies on her internal organs was especially uncomfortable today. She pulled out the blood pressure monitor and took the reading, unhappy at the result; it was the highest it had been since her kidnapping. She put the unit away and sighed again. 

 

The gloomy mood shook off in an instant a moment later when her husband emerged from their en suite bathroom completely naked. He was vigorously towel-drying his hair and didn’t realise he had an audience until he heard her appreciative whistle.

 

Startled, he jumped back, and hit his head against the open bathroom door. He fell to the floor in a heap and Melissa let out a small scream. Clumsily, she attempted twice to get up before discovering that simply rolling over and off the bed was easier. She hurried—as ‘hurry’ as she was capable of—over to him to see if he was all right and realised he was doubled over with laughter.

 

“You’re okay?”

 

He nodded as he stood back up, “I’m okay.” 

 

“You didn’t hurt anything important?”

 

“My head’s okay.”

 

“I meant,” she paused meaningfully and stared pointedly at his groin, then reached for it with one hand only to be intercepted by his hand. 

 

“Melissa!” he scolded. “We can’t!” he exclaimed, while his arousal immediately contradicted him. He pulled her hands away from himself, holding them up beside her shoulders firmly but not applying too much pressure.

 

“We can’t have sex,” she clarified. “But that doesn’t mean,” she stepped a little closer to his naked body and tried to wrench one of her hands free, “That doesn’t mean I can’t,” she paused to kiss along his jaw line, “you know, make—“ hoping to distract him. It worked, as his grip on her hands loosened and she moved one hand down to his abdomen before he regained his senses and caught it before she progressed any lower.

 

“Melissa! We have your doctor’s appointment in what, an hour?” he groaned.

 

“Party pooper!” she complained, turning away and sitting back down on the bed.

 

“Mel, please. Don’t think I don’t appreciate what you’re trying to do, but we do have an appointment in—“ he looked at the clock radio on the nightstand and renewed anxiety sounded in his voice “Half an hour!” 

 

He hurried to get dressed and Melissa wondered why he was putting on a suit and dress shirt for a doctor’s appointment. He disappeared into the closet for a moment and came out with a pair of ties in his hands.

 

“Which one?” he asked.

 

“The purple one!” she answered without hesitation. Hurriedly, he put the tie on, grabbed two socks from the dresser drawer and almost instantly let out a grumble, throwing one back in the drawer and finding a mismatch for the other. He sat down on the bed, pulled the socks on and rushed into the bathroom to finish his hair. In only a few minutes, he was back in the bedroom and reaching for her hand, 

 

“Let’s go!”

 

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JJ spent almost five minutes trying to locate a parking spot before finally finding success. She checked her watch and was relieved to see she still had at least ten minutes before the scheduled arrival time. She hurried through the airport terminal to the arrivals lounge and found the message board. Scanning it, she confirmed the gate number and made her way to it, finding a seat near the door. She opened up her purse and withdrew the small cardboard sign she’d made earlier. Unfolding it, she smoothed it out, readying it for use in a few minutes. 

 

She watched as the message board changed from ‘on time’ to ‘arrived’ and smiled happily knowing that her travelers would soon be with her. JJ and Spencer had concocted this plan together several weeks ago, just days after Melissa had been released from the hospital. Remarkably, they’d both been able to keep the secret from their respective spouses and now, as the plan was coming to fruition, JJ glowed with happy anticipation.

 

The door opened and the first few arrivals burst through. JJ rose and facing the open door, held up the sign which read “M & M & M” in large capital letters.

 

Even before they saw the sign, JJ knew who they were as mother and two daughters looked very much alike and very much like her sister and their aunt, Melissa. She waved the sign up a little higher and made eye contact with the youngest daughter, Maddie who quickly pointed her out to her mother and sister. The girls left their mother behind as they raced to meet JJ who dropped the sign and hugged them both at once.

 

Stepping back, she introduced herself “Jennifer Jareau, you can call me JJ.”

 

“I’m Maya, and this is my little sister Maddie, and our mom MaryBeth,” as the latter caught up to her daughters.

 

There were more hugs and handshakes all around and JJ ushered them to her SUV, amid questions about their flight and missing school for this special trip. Both girls were animated in their excitement about their first trips in a plane and anxious to see their Aunt Melissa and cousin Anna whom they hadn’t seen since she was a baby. They were curious but excited to meet their new Uncle Spencer as well but mostly, they were eager to meet new baby cousins soon.

 

“You’re here for a couple of weeks is my understanding?” JJ asked MaryBeth as she wheeled her vehicle through the morning DC traffic.

 

“We have three weeks. I hope Melissa delivers soon, so we can spend that time together and getting her settled in with two new babies.”

 

“Will you be here for Halloween then?”

 

MaryBeth nodded, “The girls were hoping we might see snow.”

 

“Hmmm, not likely that soon. We had one heck of a snow storm last January, but there isn’t snow here this early in the year,” JJ told her passengers, then added brightly, “So, you’ll have to come back!”

 

A chorus of excited giggles emanated from the back seat of the car as the sisters considered this idea. 

 

“Mom? Can we please? Come back in the real winter?” Maddie started pleading.

 

A thought occurred to Maya and she gasped and voiced it aloud, “Maybe we could spend Christmas here?”

 

MaryBeth turned in her seat, “Now, girls, please! We just got here! We have three weeks to visit your Aunt Melissa and help with the new babies. Please don’t be bothering her with ideas like that.”

 

They sat back and continued their sisterly discussion while in the front seat, JJ and MaryBeth carried on their own.

 

“Spence said their doctor appointment was at ten. He was gonna try and prolong things by taking Melissa shopping after, but she’s been so uncomfortable the last few days, he decided he’d have to do something else. I suggested taking her out for a really nice lunch cause that could drag on for an hour easily.”

 

“That should give us enough time to get into the house and settled and ready to surprise her.”

 

JJ laughed, “The best part is _our_ secret surprise!”

 

MaryBeth chuckled as she nodded in agreement. She sent the text message JJ asked her to relay to their co-conspirator and smiled as she read the reply aloud,

 

“He says his plane just landed, he’s going to make those arrangements now.”

 

MaryBeth and JJ shared a secret smile as they made their way back to the Reid house. 

 

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	4. Chapter 4

The doctor rose to see Spencer out while giving Melissa a few moments to change into a patient gown. He wasn’t happy about the elevated blood pressure readings, nor about the amount of swelling in his patient’s legs and ankles. As they left the room, he told Spencer,

 

“I want her back in here tomorrow morning for a nonstress test, Dr. Reid. I realise it’s Saturday, but the tech will be here. If the results indicate, I may have to admit her sooner than planned.”

 

Reid nodded, and warned him unnecessarily, “She won’t be happy about that.”

 

“Don’t I know it!” Melissa’s doctor intoned. “She’s the most stubborn woman I’ve ever dealt with!”

 

Reid broke into a smile and nodded again, then made his way to the receptionist to book the nonstress test while the doctor returned to the examination room.

 

Melissa sat up on the table waiting. He closed the door and faced her.

 

“This week’s ultrasound result came back. It’s good, Melissa, but I want—“

 

The buzzing of the intercom interrupted him and he excused himself to pick it up.

 

“Yes, thank you, that’s excellent,” he spoke into the headset then replaced it in its cradle.

 

“The lab tech downstairs has a cancelled appointment so I’m going to have you go down there in about half an hour for the nonstress test I was just telling your husband I wanted to book.”

 

Melissa waited for him to continue.

 

“This test will give us a better idea as to how they are doing, Melissa. It’s to monitor heart rate at rest and during activity, so I hope they’ll be moving.”

 

She nodded, “Okay.”

 

“I’m otherwise very happy with the progression of the pregnancy. The C-section is scheduled for, I believe you especially requested this coming Tuesday?”

 

Again Melissa nodded. He took the measurements of her belly, took her blood pressure reading himself and marked her chart as he spoke.

 

“That makes you, what, thirty-seven weeks along?”

 

“Yep,” she said simply.

 

He read through a few notes on her chart, then they went over what she should expect with the delivery.

 

“You’ve been through C-section before, so you already know what to expect. It’ll be just a little different with two of them. For us anyway, it won’t feel much different to you,” he smiled. 

 

He answered the last few questions Melissa had and then closed the file folder and set it on his desk. Rising from his chair, he motioned towards her clothes,

 

“Well then you can get dressed, Melissa and I’ll see you at the hospital at 7 am Tuesday morning, unless the nonstress results indicate we should proceed immediately.”

 

“Oh, no,” Melissa implored, “It’s gotta be Tuesday. Please.”

 

“I know, I know, and I hope it works out that way for you. Just go get that test done, and then go enjoy the day.”

 

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David Rossi was ushered into an office and took the seat he was offered. The tall, balding man sat down behind the desk and folded his hands in front of him.

 

“Agent Rossi, I understand you know Dr. Spencer Reid.”

 

“We work together,” Rossi told him.

 

“Ah. And what is it you want from me today?”

 

Rossi leaned across the desk and lowered his voice. “I need a favour. And I need you to look the other way to help make it happen.”

 

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JJ pulled into the Reids’ driveway and parked. The two girls unloaded the family’s suitcases and followed JJ and MaryBeth into the house. After keying in the alarm code to disarm it, she turned to MaryBeth and the girls,

 

“I actually live just a few doors down, I’m gonna take the car home in a couple of minutes.” She headed down the hallway to the back room and called back over her shoulder, 

 

“Maya, Maddie! Come and meet Muttli.”

 

She opened the door and was surprised to see his kennel empty. As she walked back into the front foyer, they could all hear the dog barking. The sisters looked at the staircase, and Maya spoke,

 

“He’s upstairs!”

 

JJ heard him and raced up the stairs, “Sounds like he’s scratching at a door.”

 

She followed the sound and opened the door to Anna’s room and was greeted by Muttli’s lolling tongue and wagging tail. 

 

“Oh, pup! Did you get locked in here by accident?” She took a quick look around to check for damage. Satisfied there was none, she shooed Muttli down the stairs in front of her and broke into giggles when she saw two girls and one dog in a tangled pile at the bottom of the staircase amid much giggling and happy yipping as Muttli instantly took to the two new little girls in his house.

 

MaryBeth laughed and then grew serious, “Dammit. The girls are gonna want a dog now.”

 

JJ smiled, “Muttli has that effect. We got our Wendy because of him. You’ll have to see the two of them together while you’re here. It’s hilarious.” 

 

MaryBeth chuckled and then addressed her daughters, “You two have everything under control here?”

 

Maddie nodded and Maya assured her mother, “Oh yeah, he’s precious!” 

 

The two women took the luggage upstairs. JJ steered MaryBeth to a small spare bedroom that overlooked the backyard, “I think this one’s good for you, MaryBeth? Spence thought you’d like your own room, the girls can be set up in Anna’s room, it’s huge and there’s already two beds in there. I’ll have Will bring over the fold out bed in our spare bedroom,” she immediately opened her phone and texted this request to Will.

 

“Thanks so much, JJ, for your help. Can’t wait ‘til we see Melissa. I’m dying to actually meet Spencer, we’ve been texting for couple weeks now.”

 

“I’m dying to see _his_ reaction to _our_ surprise,” JJ winked, “Anyway, I’m gonna run my car home and then have Will bring that bed over.” She showed MaryBeth a photo of Will so she’d know whom to expect at the door, and they both laughed.

 

“Like a burglar’s gonna bring a bed,” MaryBeth sputtered, “But I get it, can’t be too safe these days.”

 

MaryBeth set about putting her things away in the small room she would be occupying for the next few weeks. She made her way to the bathroom, which was connected through to Anna’s room. She set her daughters’ suitcases down on the floor then turned and made her way back down the stairs and rejoined her girls.

 

She stood on the last step and just watched as her daughters played with the dog. It was absolute joy and bliss to see, and MaryBeth knew right at that moment that her family would soon be joined by a dog, but she wasn’t going to tell them that.

 

“Can we take him for a walk, Mom?” Maddie pleaded.

 

“Oh, honey, no. Not without permission from his um, parents,” she answered and they all laughed at that. “I’m not comfortable with you taking him out unless it’s okay with Spencer and Melissa, sorry.”

 

She walked towards the back room where JJ had originally gone to see about Muttli. The Reid home backed onto a ravine but there was a fenced area, MaryBeth noted, immediately outside the rear door. She opened the door, verified the fenced section was secure, then turned back to the girls and told them it would be okay to take Muttli out into what was apparently his play area. There was a dog bowl, filled with water, right next to the door as well as a few dog toys scattered around the lawn. Both Maddie and Maya rushed towards the door and Muttli joined them instantly. 

 

MaryBeth returned to the front door when she heard knocking. Will brought in the bed and MaryBeth helped him take it upstairs to Anna’s room. They set it up against one wall, and found they had to push Anna’s small desk against the edge of the bunk beds to make room for it.

 

Will bit his lip and surveyed the room, then decided they’d already placed it in the best possible location. “If Spencer and Melissa don’t like it here, we can always move it later.”

 

MaryBeth agreed with him and as they made their way back downstairs, both their cellphones sounded text alerts. Exchanging a glance, they each laughed as they checked their messages.

 

A moment later, Will gestured with his phone, “I gotta go to work. Couple guys have called in sick and the station’s shorthanded. It was nice meetin’ ya, I’m sure we’ll be seein’ more of each other in the next coupla weeks.” He offered his hand, which MaryBeth shook and then saw him out the door.

 

Returning her attention to her own cellphone, she replied to the text she’d received from Spencer, 

 

_Just finished nonstress test. Babies and Mel are doing great. See you soon._

 

_We’re here. Met Muttli. Enjoy lunch! No Rush._

 

The doorbell rang and MaryBeth hurried to answer it. 

JJ stood outside with the box MaryBeth was expecting her to bring.

 

“Can’t stay to help, sorry, Will’s going to work and I’ll have Michael,” she explained as she hurried back down the driveway.

 

“It’s okay, I got this!” MaryBeth called after her and reentered the house with the box, which she set down on the table in the hallway. She opened it to find all the decorations JJ had neatly stashed from the Reid Baby Reveal party. 

 

About an hour later, the living room was appropriately festooned with streamers and balloons and she’d ordered pizza for the girls for lunch. The doorbell rang, signaling its delivery and she hurried to accept and pay for it.

 

MaryBeth called the girls back into the house. They scurried into the bathroom to wash their hands before eating. Muttli sat by one of the lower cupboards in the kitchen as MaryBeth looked through several eye level cupboards to find dishes. She stepped around him twice while getting things and wondered why he didn’t move. Curious, she returned to the dog and he put his nose against the cupboard. She opened the door and burst out laughing. A box of dog biscuits was in plain view and Muttli’s nose pushed against it.

 

“Okay, okay, I think I can give you a cookie,” she told him and handed him one. He inhaled it, wagged his tail happily and wandered over to his water bowl in the back room to get a drink.

 

“Living room looks great, Mom,” Maya told her as she returned from the bathroom and sat at the table. The refrigerator caught her eye and she tapped her little sister’s arm.

 

“Look, Maddie! Anna draws pictures like you do!” They admired the family portrait Anna had coloured months ago. “I can’t wait to see her again,” Maya exclaimed.

 

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	5. Chapter 5

“I thought we could go out for a nice special lunch, Melissa. It’ll be the last chance we get for some time,” Spencer reached for her hand as he spoke, giving it a slight squeeze, “Please? Like date night, except lunch instead of dinner.”

 

“Aw, thank you,” she managed to say, as emotion due to pregnancy hormones threatened to overwhelm her yet again. She swiped at her eyes with her other hand and smiled at him as they walked down the clinic hallway.

 

“Oh!” she exclaimed in pain and stopped suddenly, closing her eyes against the discomfort and taking a deep breath.

 

“Melissa? What is it?” Instantly, Spencer was on alert, letting go of her hand and slipping his arm around her to support her as she leaned forward, almost stumbling.

 

He was about to ask if she thought she might be in labour as she squeaked out, “My back, it just hurts.” She took another deep breath and let it out slowly as Spencer steered her towards a bench in the foyer of the clinic. 

 

“Here, sit down,” he directed as he helped her to a seat. He sat down next to her and ran his long slender fingers along her spine, rubbing her back and asking, “Here?” several times as she leaned into his ministrations, “Cramps?”

 

“No. Just pain. From babies laying against it.” She breathed in and out slowly a few times in succession as Spencer rubbed her back for several minutes and Melissa gradually relaxed. He leaned over and kissed her forehead.

 

“Better?”

 

She moved her head so she could kiss him then rose to her feet, took his hand and said, “Better! Thank you! Let’s go on our date.”

 

Ten minutes later, he pulled their car into the parking lot of the same upscale restaurant he’d taken her and Anna to the night he’d proposed. Melissa found herself in tears again and broke out laughing,

 

“I won’t miss these hormone attacks, oh my God,” she complained and then another realisation set in. “This is why you’re so dressed up!”

 

He raced around the front of the car to open her door for her and lend his hand to help her out. Ushering her through the door, they were greeted by the same waiter who had served them on their engagement night. He smiled in recognition, nodded conspiratorially at Spencer and then showed them to the same table they’d previously occupied. 

 

He left them for only a moment, and returned almost immediately with sparkling water in champagne flutes. After placing the drinks before them, he presented Melissa with a single red rose wrapped up with baby’s breath and asked,

 

“Where is the little one today?”

 

“She’s in school,” Spencer replied evenly.

 

“Of course, Sir,” the waiter said almost apologetically.

 

Immediately, Spencer felt a little bad, “Oh, it’s okay. Sorry. Thanks for asking, but today is strictly about my wife.”

 

The waiter nodded and disappeared, without leaving them menus. Spencer did not seem concerned about this, Melissa noticed and she wondered why but almost immediately, their waiter returned with a basket of garlic bread as well as a smaller dish with plain white dinner rolls in it.

 

“Forgive my presumptuousness,” he began, “but my wife couldn’t stomach garlic when she was expecting so I brought along these,” he indicated the plain rolls, “in case you happen to have the same issues.”

 

“Thank you,” Melissa smiled up at him, “As a matter of fact, garlic has been disagreeing with me lately.”

 

Their waiter placed a white rose next to the red one Melissa had set down on the table and addressed her,

 

“Please take this one home to your little girl. She is such a delightful child.”

 

He slipped away before Melissa could say anything, and again, Spencer seemed unconcerned about the lack of menus.

They chatted happily about the nonstress test and the apparent good health of both babies, the proposed names for their babies and then Melissa caught her breath.

 

“Oh no. I just realised Spence. We have to be at the hospital for seven am on Tuesday. What about Anna?”

 

“Don’t worry about it, Sweetheart,” he patted her hand. Knowing that MaryBeth would be there, it hadn’t even occurred to Spencer that this would have been an issue and he thought quickly before continuing, “I’m sure JJ won’t mind zipping over in the morning. I’ll call her later just to make sure.”

 

The waiter arrived and set plates with baby spinach salad before them. He bent down and whispered something to Spencer who nodded, waved his hand at the glasses of sparkling water and said, “This is fine. Perfect.”

 

Nodding, he slipped away for a moment then reappeared with more sparkling water and another dish of plain white rolls. He replenished their glasses from the decanter and then left them again, taking away the empty bread bowl.

 

“This is our special dinner all over again,” Melissa realised and voiced her delight over the discovery. Spencer reached across the table and took her hand.

 

“And I love you even more now than I did then, though I didn’t think that was possible.”

 

She blinked away tears and curled her fingers around his hand, whispering, “I love you so much.”

 

They spent a long moment just holding hands and then Spencer’s eyes caught the movement of their waiter approaching them with their entrees. He stroked her hand with his thumb then let go and sat back as the waiter placed Melissa’s grilled salmon amandine, riz pilaf and fresh seasoned vegetables in front of her. Deftly he removed the empty salad plates, served Spencer his meal before refilling their water and then once again faded away to leave them alone.

 

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“Everything is all arranged, Agent Rossi,” the tall balding man said as he hung up the phone and returned his attention to his guest. 

 

Rossi nodded and murmured, “Good. Good. _Grazie.”_

 

“My associate will meet you here tomorrow morning at 9 am.”

 

“Okay, I can do that. Nothing is to be said to Dr. Reid about this.”

 

“Understood,” he assured Rossi. “And the cost of this—endeavour?”

 

“Will be borne by me. I’ll discuss the details with your associate,” Rossi told him.

 

“Very good.” He rose and offered Rossi his hand which the agent shook as he stood to leave. Rossi stuck his hand into his breast pocket and removed a cigar, which he offered to his cohort.

 

“Thank you, Agent Rossi,” the man said as he gave the cigar an appreciative stroke.

 

“Tomorrow. 9 am.” Rossi verified, and left with “ _Grazie_ ,” and a nod of his head.

 

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“Thank you so much, Spence, that was just wonderful,” Melissa enthused as he saw her back into the car and then walked around to the driver’s side and got in.

 

He started the vehicle and put it into gear, inched out of the parking spot, checked the traffic and then pulled into the live lane and started towards home.

 

Melissa waited until they were almost at home and then she reached over and dropped her hand into his lap, stroking him suggestively.

 

“Maybe you’ll let me finish what got interrupted this morning?”

 

He gasped in surprise and clutched the steering wheel a little tighter for a moment then stole a glance in her direction and saw the deliberately provocative look on her face.

 

“Melissa!” he breathed, and then decided he’d play along, knowing the foreplay would come to an abrupt halt when they got home and she discovered who was waiting there for them.

 

By the time the car pulled into their driveway, Spencer was regretting his decision to play along as he was now sitting very uncomfortably in an advanced state of arousal. His mind raced as he came up with a plan to deal with the delicate issue. After pulling the vehicle into the garage and parking, he bit his lip and ran around to the passenger side to help Melissa out of the car. 

 

“You go on ahead, I’ll be right in,” he told her as he ushered her to the door leading into the house. As she disappeared through it, he made his way to the garbage cans at the back of the garage, surveyed them and opened the lid of the green compost bin. It had the desired effect. Instantly, his nostrils were assailed by the putrid smell of rotting food waste and for once in his married life, he was visibly relieved to feel the desire for sexual release immediately fizzle away.

 

Sighing with relief—and a little disappointment—he walked into the house just in time to hear Melissa squeal in delight as she entered the kitchen and found her sister, two nieces and one overly happy puppy waiting for her there.

 

Spencer leaned against the doorframe and watched the happy reunion between Melissa and MaryBeth, and then Maya and Maddie. Muttli ran from one female to another, tail wagging crazily as he sensed the happiness around him. Spencer smiled broadly as he watched the tears flow freely from both women’s eyes as they hugged and held each other and laughed and cried and finally, Melissa drew MaryBeth by one arm over to where he stood and introduced them.

 

“My wonderful sister, MaryBeth,” she motioned, “and my absolute dream, my soul mate, my best friend, Spencer.”

 

“It’s so good to finally meet you. In person,” Spencer said as MaryBeth moved to hug him and he returned her embrace.

 

Melissa’s brow furrowed. “What? What does that mean? _In person._ Why did you tone it that way?”

 

MaryBeth laughed and moved to include Melissa in the hug.

 

“Oh, my. Dear little sister,” she chuckled, “We have been planning this. For weeks. Ages. Since the day you called me and told me you weren’t coming down. Surprise!” She paused for a moment and addressed her daughters, “Maddie, Maya, this is your Uncle Spencer.”

 

They exchanged shy hellos and hugs and Spencer asked them about their flight. The question eased their initial nervousness and both girls launched into animated descriptions of their airborne adventure. After a few minutes, they relaxed and were regaling him with every detail of their day, down to the snacks they had on the plane. MaryBeth stepped in.

 

“Okay, go get that stuff,” their mother directed, and then returned her attention to her sister and brother-in-law.

 

“Spencer called me the next day. Apparently you were quite upset. And we just got talking and this idea came of it. I thought you might be able to use some help the first couple weeks with two new babies. And of course, we haven’t seen each other for a couple of years!”

 

Melissa was dangerously near tears again, and fought valiantly to keep it together as MaryBeth spoke. 

 

“And we missed the reveal party and the baby shower, but, well, Maya and Maddie had their own idea about that. Come,” she directed, taking Melissa’s arm and leading her into the living room where Melissa’s tears turned to laughter as she took in the sight of all the party decorations.

 

“Oh my gosh, you are as crazy as ever, M-B!”

 

The girls came into the room bearing several wrapped gifts that they set on the coffee table in the living room.

 

“We’re going to have our own baby shower for you, Aunt Mel,” Maddie told her.

 

“But not ‘til Anna gets home from school,” Maya interjected.

 

As the four females gathered together in a group hug, Spencer stood back and waited for a moment, then cleared his throat to get their attention.

 

“I’m gonna let you ladies have some alone time. It’s almost time to go get Anna from school. We should be back in about an hour.”

 

 

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	6. Chapter 6

JJ put Michael down in his crib for his nap and returned to the kitchen to see about making some dinner for herself and Henry. As she gathered ingredients from the pantry, she heard her cellphone beep a text alert. Setting the macaroni down on the counter, she rushed to the hall table where she’d left her purse. The phone sat on top of her purse and scooped it up, flicking it on to see she’d missed several texts earlier.

 

_Everything set here for tomorrow morning. Should be back by evening._

 

Quickly, she tapped out a short reply. _Awesome! I’ll let her know!_

 

A hasty perusal of her others texts informed her that Will was working late; Will wanted her to give Henry and Michael good night kisses from him; Garcia had sent her kitten pictures and MaryBeth had texted her another thank you for picking them up at the airport.

 

“Wendy?” she called, wondering where the family’s Black Labrador puppy was. Growing concerned, she hurried through the lower level of the house looking for the dog. “This is nuts, she was right with me when I put Michael down,” JJ muttered as she searched. 

 

“Wendy?” she called again as she made her way upstairs to check the bedrooms for the dog.

 

She paused at Michael’s door and as quietly as she could, turned the knob to open it. Relief flooded through her and she had to bite back a laugh.

 

Wendy was curled up underneath Michael’s crib sound asleep and snoring.

 

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Melissa, MaryBeth and the girls sat around the kitchen table catching up with each other’s lives as they waited for the oven timer to go off. Between conversation about their spouses, their school, their work and their activities, the foursome had made cupcakes and cookies and was now waiting as dinner baked in the oven. Melissa and the girls were each nursing a glass of milk and MaryBeth had taken advantage of the espresso maker in the Reid kitchen and indulged in a cup of the strong coffee.

 

“I miss that so much,” Melissa lamented as she made an exaggerated show of sniffing her sister’s drink. 

 

“Only a couple more weeks,” MaryBeth reminded her, “and you’ll be able to drink coffee again.”

 

Melissa shook her head, “Nope. I’m planning to nurse the babies. So. No coffee. And no chocolate. I’ll be deprived for some time yet, but that’s not the worst thing to be deprived of.”

 

“No? Well then, what is?” MaryBeth asked and then gasped as she realised what the answer would be and immediately regretted asking.

 

Melissa shook her head, “Not in front of them,” indicating the girls, who were seemingly both engrossed in some of the school work their teachers had provided for them to work on while away.

 

MaryBeth let out the breath she’d been holding and said in a low voice, meant for only Melissa’s ears, “That was a stupid question anyway.”

 

Melissa laughed and agreed, “Yep. It sure was!” Maddie rose from the table and went upstairs to get something from her suitcase and Maya took the opportunity to speak up.

 

“I know what you two are talking about, Mom, I wasn’t born yesterday,” she told them with just a hint of teasing in her voice. She carried on with her schoolwork as though nothing had happened but her lips curled up in a smile and she had to fight to keep from laughing. 

 

“My baby,” MaryBeth indicated, motioning towards Maya. “They grow up way too fast.”

 

The oven timer went off and both Melissa and MaryBeth started to get up to attend to it. MaryBeth put her hand on her sister’s shoulder to prevent her from rising and said in a commanding voice,

 

“No. Stay. I got this.” She slipped the oven mitts on and removed the roast from the oven, sitting it on the stovetop. “You’re _supposed_ to be in bed, remember?”

 

“Still bossy,” Melissa groused causing both Maya and MaryBeth to laugh. MaryBeth added peeled potatoes to the pot roast and returned it to the oven.

 

Maddie returned to the table with her arithmetic book and set to work. MaryBeth refilled Melissa’s milk glass—without asking her—and waited for the retort she was sure would be forthcoming.

 

“Drink it,” she directed.

 

“Wow, you really are a bossy thing, aren’t you?!”

 

MaryBeth sat down and touched Melissa’s hand. 

“I promised JJ and Spencer that I would look after you,” she said solemnly.

 

“JJ?”

 

“Yes! She picked us up at the airport this morning, while you were at the doctor’s.”

 

“Wow, you guys are sneaky.”

 

“I pride myself in my sneak ability,” she replied, still very solemn voiced and they both laughed.

 

Muttli, who had been sleeping in front of the living room window now raced past them towards the back room where the garage entry door was. He was barking happily and Melissa shook her head, laughing.

 

“You can set your watch by him! Honestly!”

 

“What’s he barking about Aunt Melissa?” Maddie asked, just as they heard the sound of the garage door opening.

 

“Your Uncle Spence is home with Anna,” Melissa told her, “Muttli knows what time they usually get home.”

 

“Okay, okay! Down boy! Settle down!” could be heard from the back room as Spencer tried to calm the dog enough to enter the house.

 

“Muttli! NO!! Chill!” Anna’s voice rang out and immediately the dog complied, sitting down beside the door and waiting for them to make the next move.

 

“How the heck did you do that?” Spencer asked her and she giggled.

 

“You’re supposed to tell him ‘Stop’ or ‘No’ when you don’t want him to do something, Daddy,” she told him, taking his hand and leading their way into the kitchen. Muttli padded along behind them and nosed his way between Maya and Maddie, lying on the floor at their feet.

 

“I am indeed, you are right,” he told her and then putting his hands on her shoulders, continued, “Look Anna, look who is here.”

 

“Spence,” Melissa rose and enveloped Anna in a hug, “Anna was a baby, she won’t remember them. These are your cousins, Sweet Pea. Maya, and Maddie. And their mom, my sister, your Aunt MaryBeth.”

 

She smiled a shy hello, and the two girls rose to greet their cousin. They exchanged hugs and within minutes, the three were best friends as they headed towards Anna’s playroom amidst talk of Barbie and Pink and Justin Bieber.

 

“That went well, didn’t it?” Melissa chuckled as MaryBeth and Spencer nodded agreement. She turned to her husband and said, “I understand JJ was a co-conspirator in this?”

 

“She was, yes. Couldn’t have done it without her help.”

 

MaryBeth took a glass of milk in to the playroom to Anna and spoke to the girls for a few minutes, then they all came back into the kitchen and asked if everyone could go to the living room. 

 

“We missed the baby shower, and the reveal, but once we knew we were coming up, we decided to hold our own shower for you,” MaryBeth told them.

 

“Aww, you didn’t have to do—“Melissa began.

 

“Shush!” MaryBeth interjected.

 

“I told you,” Melissa laughed and complained to Spencer, “She’s _bossy_!”

 

Anna sat between her parents on the couch as the girls brought their packages.

 

“No games, or silly hats made of diapers. Just presents and love,” Maya said. “You go first,” she told her sister.

 

  Maddie handed Melissa her present for her new cousins.

 

Melissa unwrapped it as Maddie told them, “We had the advantage of knowing that there were two babies, and that one is a girl and one is a boy.”

 

“Awwww, look!” She folded back the tissue and found a pair of onesies, one in pink and one in blue, but both with Mickey Mouse on them. “Thank you so much, Maddie, they’re adorable!”

 

“We’re lucky enough to live near Disneyland and since you couldn’t come to it, we thought we’d bring a little bit of it here to you—“ MaryBeth started and interrupted herself, “Oh that reminds me! I’ll be right back!” 

 

She hurried up the stairs to her room and was back downstairs in an instant with a gift bag that she gave to Anna.

 

“What’s this?” Anna asked in a puzzled voice.

 

“Open it!” Maya and Maddie squealed in unison. 

 

Anna found a card in the bag which she handed to her mother and then joined their squeals a moment later when she unwrapped a purple Mickey Mouse dress in her own size. 

 

“Oh look! Oh look! Look!” She hugged it against herself and twirled around then threw herself at her aunt in a huge hug.

 

“Thank you Aunt M-B!” 

 

“Awww, Anna. Listen,” Melissa said, and then read the card out to her, “Congratulations to the Big Sister.”

 

Anna finally released her aunt from the hug and sat back down as Maya approached Melissa with her present.

 

Melissa was delighted to find stuffed versions of Winnie the Pooh and Tigger when she opened Maya’s gift. “These are so cute, Maya, thank you.”

 

MaryBeth handed a long flat package over to Melissa and told her, “I’m afraid the Disney theme ends with them. This is from Mom, she wanted me to deliver it to you.”

 

“Uh oh,” Spencer said and rose, heading to the kitchen.

 

“What?” MaryBeth wondered. He returned with a well-timed tissue box in his hand as Melissa had opened the box from her mother and found a pair of crocheted blankets inside, one in pink and one in blue and was now crying.

 

“Oh my goodness, good call,” MaryBeth noted as Melissa wiped at her eyes. 

 

“Mom made these, didn’t she?”

 

MaryBeth nodded. 

 

“Mommy?” Anna asked, “This looks just like the one on my bed.”

 

“It is the same, Sweet Pea. Your Gramma made that for you when you were a baby.”

 

“I love my Gramma blankie,” Anna enthused.

 

“And I’m sure the babies will love theirs too,” Spencer patted her head as he replied.

 

“I’ll have to call Mom and thank her. They are lovely,” Melissa sniffled. She cuddled the blankets against herself for a moment as though she was absorbing her own mother’s love through them.

 

MaryBeth set the last box in front of Melissa. 

 

“Mark made this for your babies,” she told her, referring to her husband. Melissa peeled the paper off the box and withdrew its contents.

 

As she set it down on the table, she was momentarily speechless and fresh tears sprang to her eyes. Spencer wrapped an arm around her and kissed her temple.

“Ssshhh, stop, Mel,” he gave her a squeeze and addressed the others, “This is breathtaking. He’s truly an artist, MaryBeth. Look at the detailing,” he enthused, “This must have taken him ages!”

 

Mark had created a one-of-a-kind lamp for the babies’ room. The base was made of blond coloured wood, and he had intricately carved the images of building blocks, a teddy bear, a toy car, a doll, and crayons into it. The shade was frosted glass, in a soft white and MaryBeth explained that he’d designed it to use the safer LED light bulb. It could be dimmed or brightened with a simple tap on its base. Melissa smiled through her tears, touched at the love shown to her by her family and expressed her appreciation at their thoughtfulness and generosity.

 

“And thank you all again,” Melissa said, exchanging a glance with Spencer who gave her a slight nod. She took a breath and continued, “You may have missed the babies’ gender reveal party, but Spence and I have decided on their names, and we are going to share with you to make up for missing the other party.”

 

 Melissa disclosed the children’s names and after everyone had a chance to react to the news, MaryBeth announced that dinner was ready.

 

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	7. Chapter 7

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“He really is amazing, Melissa,” MaryBeth said of Spencer as they sat together on the bed in the master bedroom the following afternoon. “I hope the girls behave for him.”

 

“They love animals, don’t they? I know Anna does, Spence takes her to the Zoo probably once a month. She’d spend all day with the pandas if he’d let her.”

 

“Washington’s Zoo is one of the country’s best too, isn’t it?” MaryBeth asked.

 

“It is. I’m sure they’ll have a blast.”

 

“It was really nice of him to give us this Sister Time. And look at you! Staying in bed like you’re supposed to!”

 

“You come up here to visit. And you’re doing everything while I lay around in bed,” Melissa protested.

 

“I am here to help my sister who’s very pregnant, supposed to be in bed, and about to have twins. The girls are here to visit. And they are having a great visit. The three of them together in Anna’s room, they’re getting along great, they’re having so much fun. And I’m sick of Justin Bieber, what about you?”

 

Melissa laughed. “I tune it out. Honestly, M-B, it’s no worse than us with the New Kids On The Block and the Backstreet Boys back in the day.”

 

MaryBeth snickered in agreement and then asked, “Oh, I love that huge map in her room. Spencer’s idea?”

 

Melissa nodded, “Fun and instructional. She keeps track of where he goes for his cases.”

 

“Wow, that’s awesome,” MaryBeth commented, and a thought occurred to her. “Mel, do you still have your sewing machine?”

 

“Down in the basement, yeah. Why?”

 

“Can I use it?”

 

“Be my guest,” Melissa answered, and then asked “Why?”

 

“Well, now that I know their names, I can make my gifts for the babies. I brought along the material, I talked to Spencer about the colour scheme in their room a while back. Figured I’d work on that when you’re sleeping and once you’ve gone to the hospital.” She paused to take a breath and continued, “Spence is going to be there with you. I told him I’d stay here to make sure Anna’s taken care of. She’ll be in school during the day, right? I’ll make mine work on their schoolwork too.”

 

Melissa grimaced and leaned back against the pillows. Instantly, MaryBeth was on alert and all business.

 

“Oh Mel! Are you hurting? Let me help you! Do you need anything?” She pushed a pillow out of the way to facilitate Melissa turning on her side. “Don’t push it, let me move your leg. Wait. Here—“

 

“I’m okay, one of them’s just pushing against my spine again, and it hurts.” Melissa interrupted. “It’s nearly impossible to get comfortable.”

 

“Here, put this pillow,” MaryBeth moved it under Melissa’s left side, “Under there, maybe it’ll encourage whichever one of them is doing that to you to move over a little more.”

 

Melissa did a few minutes of deep breathing to relax, closed her eyes and eventually managed to fall asleep. MaryBeth left the room, leaving the door open so she’d hear if Melissa needed her and slipped downstairs. 

 

She commandeered the dining room table, laying out her material and sketch paper and ventured into the kitchen to find a pair of scissors. After about an hour of drawing and measuring, pinning and cutting, MaryBeth got quite a bit accomplished and realised there were a few supplies she needed. Digging her cellphone out of her purse, she made a call.

 

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“Anna’s getting a little tired,” Reid told Maya and Maddie as he slowed their pace and finally decided to just pick Anna up and carry her. 

 

They’d spent the entire morning and a good part of the afternoon visiting the animals in Washington’s renowned zoo and had to return to the panda exhibit twice as Anna had insisted.

 

They’d had simple pizza for lunch some hours earlier and had immediately returned for their third panda visit. While the pizza had rejuvenated Anna for a time, she was starting to lag behind them and experience told Spencer that she was just about done. The happy smile was gone from her face and she laid her head on his shoulder when he picked her up.

 

“Whoops, I’m sorry girls,” he called out to Maya and Maddie who were about twenty paces ahead of him now. They stopped and turned and Maya, being an older sister, immediately recognised the situation.

 

“Uh oh, she’s had it, hasn’t she?” She patted Anna’s shoulder and said, “We can come back another day and see the pandas again, Anna. I’m tired, I think we should go home now.”

 

Maddie nodded in agreement and Spencer, grateful for their cooperation, steered them towards the exit. After securing Anna in her booster, situated in the center of the rear seat, Spencer got into the driver’s seat and smiled as Maddie and Maya took the seats on either side of Anna in the rear. On the way to the zoo earlier, Maya had called shotgun, and as oldest, sat in front with Spencer. He was impressed with her maturity and compassion as she sat in the back on the way home and asked his permission to play music on her iPod.

 

He nodded approval and returned his attention to driving and smiled as Maya picked Anna’s favourite singer and played that, putting the iPod in Anna’s hands as the three of them sang along with the artist. In minutes, before the first song was even over, Anna had fallen asleep.

 

“Good call, Maya, and thank you too Maddie!” Spencer praised them and smiled as he noticed in the rear view mirror that Maddie had balled up her sweater and stuck it in beside Anna’s drooping head to act as a pillow.

 

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“Both my girls are sleeping,” Spencer grinned as he came back downstairs after putting Anna down in her bed for a nap. He’d peeked in on Melissa who was sleeping soundly and now sat in the kitchen with MaryBeth’s girls who were getting milk for themselves. He was happy to see they were comfortable in the house, comfortable enough to just help themselves to food and drink and use the television and stereo equipment freely as though they were at home.

 

He made espresso and took a cup to MaryBeth who was ensconced in the dining room with her craft supplies. She took the cup gratefully and drained it in one go, which Spencer found amusing and then she remembered something.

 

“Mel has a sewing machine, Spencer. She said I could use it, that it’s down in the basement?”

 

“I’ll get it for you,” he offered and moved to do just that, bringing the machine upstairs and setting it on the dining room table for her. 

 

“Hmmm, you’re gonna need an extension cord,” he realised, and headed out to the garage for a few minutes, coming back with the item in question.

 

“Thank you.” She set the machine up and realised he was watching her work. “Shoo! This is for the babies.”

 

“MaryBeth, Anna’s upstairs sleeping now too. I was wondering if your girls might like a trip to the mall for a couple of hours?”

 

“Oh good lord,” she laughed, “Just try and keep them away. Especially Maya!” Trying to paste a serious look on her face, she added, “I think they’d love that, they love shopping. Melissa says you hate shopping. Why would you want to?”

 

“Dad practice,” he said seriously. “And Melissa’s wrong. I just hate shopping with her because _she_ goes into _every_. _Single_. _Store_.”

 

MaryBeth laughed. Maddie and Maya came into the dining room and Spencer turned to them,

 

“Would you ladies like a trip to the mall while Anna’s sleeping?”

 

Their eyes lit up and they hugged their Uncle Spencer then raced out to the car. He waved at MaryBeth and hurried after them.

 

MaryBeth worked on her gifts uninterrupted for almost two hours then packed the things away and moved into the kitchen to start dinner. She gave Muttli a dog biscuit when he came in to see what was happening in the kitchen, but shooed him out when she began chopping vegetables and washing lettuce.

 

He gave her an unhappy sigh and wandered towards the back room and sat by the door. It took just one whine from him and MaryBeth realised what he was trying to tell her and hurried to let him out.

 

The potatoes were bubbling, the chicken roasting in the oven and MaryBeth looked up from the carrots she was slicing and found Anna standing across the island from her.

 

“Oh, Sweet Pea, did you have fun at the Zoo?”

 

Anna nodded and smiled, “Auntie M-B?”

 

“What’s up, Honey?”

 

“It’s time for My Muttli to go for his walk,” she pointed at the microwave clock that clearly indicated it was after 4 pm.

 

“Oh! Well, okay. Can you and I take him?” MaryBeth asked, wiping her hands on the dishtowel and walking around the island to take Anna’s hand.

 

“Uh huh!” Anna agreed immediately and showed her aunt where the dog’s leash was. “I’ll put my shoes on,” Anna said, sitting down on the hall bench to do so.

 

 “I can tie them myself now, see?”

 

They retrieved Muttli from the backyard, MaryBeth snapped his leash on him and she and Anna took him for his walk. She was impressed with how well behaved the dog was, obediently heeling by her side as they walked. Anna led as they made their way along the trail that took them to the creek in which Muttli loved to splash. MaryBeth wasn’t comfortable with the idea of letting him off his leash so he had to make do with just stepping through the water. There would be no squirrel chasing today but Muttli seemed okay with the abridged version of his walk. He ambled along beside them as they made their way home. MaryBeth was familiar enough with his routine that she knew he expected dinner after his walk and she asked Anna to feed him, as she wasn’t sure how much dog food the pup was supposed to be given.

 

After giving Muttli supper, Anna asked if she could watch television and MaryBeth set it up for her before returning to the kitchen to finish preparing dinner. When she got there, she found Melissa slicing the carrots she’d left unattended to go help Anna.

 

She glared at her younger sister.

 

“Hi Melissa, how are you feeling?” Melissa said, with just a hint of sarcasm in her voice.

 

“Put down the knife and go sit,” MaryBeth instructed.

 

“What? I’m dangerous cause I have a knife in my hand? I’m one of the—what does he call them?— _unsubs_ my husband deals with?” 

 

There was a tiny moment of stony silence between them before they both broke out laughing. Melissa put the knife on the countertop and made a big production of sitting in a kitchen chair.

 

“Better?”

 

“Much.” MaryBeth finished preparing the vegetables and set them on the stove to cook. “Muttli has been walked and fed. Anna is watching Dora in the living room. Spencer is at the mall with my girls, they should be home any minute. And dinner is almost ready,” MaryBeth rhymed off.

 

“Efficient,” Melissa commented. “And still bossy,” she added with a laugh then grew serious. “Honestly, M-B, I really do appreciate you wasting your vacation time to come and take charge here.”

 

“It’s not wasted, Sissy. I kinda wish we’d come a couple of weeks ago. Spencer’s been so worried about your blood pressure and pre-eclampsia.”

 

“Two more days,” Melissa reminded.

 

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	8. Chapter 8

JJ’s cellphone beeped. She was sitting on the living room floor playing with Michael and reached into her pocket to check the message.

 

_Plane landed safely. Holding up well considering. Going home now. Will touch base tomorrow Mia Bella Amico._

 

 _Great! We’ll talk tomorrow!_ She quickly tapped a reply then gathered Michael up, bundled him into her baby carrier then called her other son.

 

“Henry?” She yelled up the stairs and he came instantly.

 

“Let’s take Wendy for her walk now.”

 

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Spencer arrived home with his nieces just in time for dinner. Afterwards, the girls sent their mother off to the living room with Melissa and Spencer and told them they’d clean up the kitchen. Anna helped them as much as a four year old could then the three of them went to Anna’s playroom. Maddie had asked earlier about Anna’s crafts and she was only too happy to show her cousins her setup.

 

The adults chatted for a while, mostly about the impending birth and MaryBeth suddenly realised it was very quiet. There was no music, no laughter, not even chatter coming from Anna’s playroom and she rose to investigate.

 

A moment later she returned to the living room, dabbing at her eyes with a tissue.

 

“Don’t go in there, they’re working on something together. And it’s a beautiful sight,” MaryBeth told them.

 

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_Can you talk or is it better if I just text you?_

 

MaryBeth flicked on her phone and read her waiting text as she was dressing the next morning. She finished buttoning her blouse and picked up the phone to reply to JJ.

 

_Just text. Not sure anyone else is up yet. Don’t wanna make noise. LOL._

 

_Rossi is back. Surprise set in motion. Said he’d contact me later today with deets._

 

_Okay great! Oh! You need to come over with kids. And dog. Mine want to meet them._

 

_Yikes! Think that’s a good idea? Poor Melissa?_

 

_Good point. We could meet in park? Anna knows which one._

 

_Okay! 11 a.m.?_

 

_Perfect!_

 

Maddie, Maya and Anna came into the kitchen and found MaryBeth lifting pancakes off the grill. After setting the next batch to cook, she turned the coffeemaker on and pulled mugs out of a cupboard. She poured orange juice into glasses and when the girls arrived, asked them to set the table. 

 

One glass of orange juice sat on the tray MaryBeth had set on the countertop and she added a glass of milk and cutlery to the tray. 

 

“Maya, can you go upstairs and see if your Aunt Melissa is awake yet please?” 

 

Nodding, her daughter did so, returning momentarily with her Uncle Spencer in tow.

 

“She’s awake,” Maya reported.

 

MaryBeth put a plate with several pancakes; a small jug of maple syrup and a dish with some butter on the tray and handed it to Spencer, “Take breakfast up to Mel, please?”

 

He complied, and after he left, MaryBeth told the three girls, “After breakfast, we are going to take Muttli and go up to the park for a while. Mrs. LaMontagne is going to be there with Henry, Michael and Wendy.”

 

“Yay!” Anna was immediately excited at this prospect, and turned to her cousins, “Henry’s my friend, and Michael is his baby brother and Wendy is their dog. Who’s the bestest dog in the world after Muttli!”

 

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“Henry and his puppy are awesome,” Maya told everyone at dinner that night. 

 

Spencer had insisted MaryBeth not cook that night and had gone out to get Thai takeout for everybody. They were sitting around the kitchen table eating their curries and pad Thai dishes and exchanging reports about their day. 

 

“Wendy is so cute!” Maddie enthused. “It was so much fun teaching her how to fetch.”

 

They told Spencer and Melissa about tossing the ball and how Muttli had no interest in fetch at all and Wendy would have continued fetching forever. They laughed when they related how the dogs had ended up tripping each other in their enthusiastic play together after the fetch lesson. 

 

Maddie gushed about Michael and being allowed to give him his bottle, something Anna fully understood. And both girls agreed that it was great fun to be with Anna’s friend Henry and his puppy.

 

“What did you do today?” Maya asked Spencer and Melissa. MaryBeth shot a glance at Melissa who broke out laughing remembering a previous conversation.

 

“We—well mostly Spencer—worked on getting the babies’ room ready today. Derek came over and painted it about a month ago, made a few shelves for us and designed and built a change table. But Spencer did some cosmetic work today. He hung curtains, set up the crib. Yeah, we have two, but we decided for the first few weeks, we’ll let them sleep beside each other in the same crib.” She paused to rub her belly and explained, “They’re used to being together. We thought we’d let them stay together as long as possible unless they disturb each other’s sleep too much.”

 

“There’s a dresser in their room that I spent part of the day filling up with all the clothes they got from JJ at the party. She actually came over and helped Melissa sort it all last week, and I’ve got the first three months size stuff in there now. Labeled a couple of boxes with the next few stages so we can rotate it out as they outgrow their clothes.” He paused and then added, “And, you’ll be happy to know, MaryBeth, that Melissa spent most of the day in bed. Reading, watching TV, sleeping.”

 

“And that’s _all_ ,” Melissa specified, causing them both to laugh.

 

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On Monday morning, Spencer dropped Henry and Anna off at school and then returned home to get Melissa and take her to the doctor’s office for their short meeting.

 

MaryBeth, Maya and Maddie spent the morning working on their respective secret projects, the girls in Anna’s playroom, and MaryBeth in the dining room. Muttli split his time visiting both sites and getting shooed out of both rooms. Finally fed up, he huffed and padded upstairs to console himself by napping with Anna’s Kermode.

 

MaryBeth spoke to JJ on the phone and finalised their surprise plans. 

 

“And no one suspects?”

 

“It might be a little difficult at work today, but I don’t think so. Spence won’t be there, so.”

 

“All right then. I will call you as soon as I know tomorrow, JJ.”

 

“Awesome, I gotta go. Talk to you later.”

 

MaryBeth made her way to the playroom and asked the girls to put away their project for now and work on their schoolwork for a few hours before Anna got home. 

 

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After her bath, Anna wandered into her parents’ bedroom and found Melissa sitting up in bed, waiting for her. She climbed up next to her mother and snuggled into her arms. Melissa read a story with her then put the book away and spoke,

 

“Tomorrow morning, Anna, Daddy and I will be gone by the time you wake up because we’re going to the hospital very very early. Aunt Marybeth is going to get you ready for school, okay? And Mr. LaMontagne will be picking you up for school.”

 

Anna nodded and whispered “Okay, Mommy.”

 

“Your sister and brother are going to be born tomorrow. And all three of us will have to stay in the hospital for a couple of days.”

 

“Am I allowed to come and visit you?”

 

“Absolutely, Sweet Pea. Daddy will come back and get you once the doctor says it’s okay. I want you to meet them as soon as you can!” She hugged Anna closer and then told her, “Now, you need to go to bed. We’re going to bed early tonight too, because we’ll be up very early. And I’m sorry we won’t see you in the morning, Honey, but it will be way too early to wake you.”

 

“Okay, Mommy.” She kissed Melissa on the cheek, patted her mother’s belly and looked up into her eyes, “My Mommy. My brother. My sister. My daddy,” she paused to look around for Spencer, who had left to give mother and daughter a moment alone. “My family.”

 

“And we’ll all be here together soon, Sweet Pea. Now, off to bed, good night.”

 

Anna padded over to her room and found Spencer sitting on her bed waiting for her. She climbed into bed and he tucked her blankets in around her. He picked up Kermode and squeezed the bear in beside Anna. 

 

“I will call you as soon as you get home from school tomorrow, Anna. If it’s allowed, I’ll come and get you to visit Mommy too, okay?”

 

She nodded and reached up to hug him.

 

He hugged her back, kissed her goodnight, and told her to close her eyes and sleep now before turning off the light and closing her door as he left.

 

As he walked back across the hall, he wondered if he’d be able to follow his own advice to close his eyes and sleep. He was excited. Nervous. Anxious. Happy. Worried? No. Maybe. Tense.

 

He stripped down and got into the bed, drawing Melissa into his arms.

 

“Scared?”

 

“A little,” she started, “I have been through this before though.” She snuggled against him, laid her head on his chest and sighed happily. “I think maybe this will be rougher on you than me. I’ll be the one with the epidural.” She chuckled and turned her face to make eye contact with him.

 

“Spence?” 

 

“Jitters, Melissa. I know nothing’s gonna go wrong. I know what to expect, for the most part. And I’ve even delivered a baby before. But this is different.”

 

She hugged him closer, “It’ll be fine. We’ll be fine.”

 

Melissa fell asleep long before Spencer could. His mind raced and he lay awake for a long time before sleep finally claimed him.

 

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She was aware of bright lights above her head, and realised it was the hospital corridor as she was wheeled from the pre-op area into the sterile surgical room. Surrounded by faces all wearing gowns and masks, even in her drugged state she laughed, thinking how intimidating it was to be encircled by anonymous covered faces. Melissa had no feeling from mid chest level down thanks to the epidural; it was an unsettling feeling but she was thankful that her hands still worked, for the moment. She flexed her fingers and gripped the blanket as the gurney went through a doorway and came to a stop.

 

Melissa heard someone directing that a curtain be placed across her chest, cutting her lower half from her own view. She saw two small isolettes parked beside the array of monitors and poles holding bags of who-knows-what around her bed. Medical chatter that she didn’t understand flew back and forth between four or five people in the O-R and finally one nurse stroked her forehead and told her it wasn’t going to be much longer.

 

“We’re just getting your husband into scrubs now, Melissa. He’ll be in here in a few minutes, when we’re done prepping you.” She smoothed Melissa’s hair back under the paper cap. “Are you comfortable?”

 

Melissa made eye contact with the compassionate nurse and nodded. She found herself suddenly overcome with emotion again and started to cry and the nurse hurried to dab tissue at her tears.

 

“Oh now, don’t do that, Sweetie. Everything will be just great.”

 

Again Melissa nodded.

 

“Take a couple of deep breaths. Can you do that?”

 

It had the desired effect; Melissa was now concentrating on breathing deeply, in and out, and forgot about crying. The nurse smiled and continued with the necessary preparations for the surgery. An IV to deliver fluids and antibiotics was set up, and a nurse swabbed Melissa’s belly down with antiseptic.

 

A few minutes later, the O-R door opened and Spencer was ushered in. He was seated at Melissa’s left side, right by the curtain such that he could watch the proceedings and hold her hand and speak to her as desired. He immediately took her hand and told her he loved her as the doctor arrived and asked, 

 

“Everybody ready? Shall we get started?”

 


	9. Chapter 9

Spencer kept Melissa’s attention, maintaining eye contact as the surgeon set to work. Dr. Grayson had two assistants; one whose job was to suction and clear away the amniotic fluid once the doctor had made the incision in the uterine wall. The second assistant helped the doctor move muscle tissue aside to extract the first baby. 

 

“Doing great, Mel, you’re doing great,” he squeezed her hand and whispered a question to the nurse standing right beside him. Receiving a nod of approval from her, he bent down and stroked Melissa’s cheek with a gloved finger, “Almost there.” He handed the nurse his iPhone and gave her a go ahead nod. 

 

Spencer stole a glance at the proceedings, careful not to make any facial reaction to the surgery. This proved more difficult than he thought it would be. He was used to seeing ghastly images of far more gruesome wounds inflicted on people because of his occupation, but somehow when the incision was being made into his own wife’s abdomen, it was all he could do to not react. The last thing he wanted was to scare Melissa. He reminded himself that the only reason the medical people had allowed him to sit such that he could actually watch the procedure in the first place was because he was _Doctor_ Reid and he hadn’t corrected their mistaken assumption that he was a medical doctor. It worked, the thought of his successful deception made him smile and he made eye contact with Melissa as he did so, causing her to smile as well.

 

The head nurse moved closer at the surgeon’s behest. He was now lifting one baby from Melissa’s abdomen and as he did so, he beckoned for Spencer’s attention. Cathy, the nurse took the newborn from the doctor’s hands as he passed the baby over. Immediately, another nurse, named Sally approached with a towel and started cleaning the baby off as the doctor handed Reid the surgical scissors and asked him,

 

“Would you like to cut the cord?” Spencer nodded, squeezed Melissa’s hand as he stared with love and wonder at their firstborn. He slid off the stool, bent down and kissed Melissa’s forehead and whispered, “Our daughter is here. You’re doing great!”

 

He took the scissors from the doctor. Sally held the baby while Spencer severed the cord, then the doctor quickly took the scissors from him and nodded at the nurse. She gently placed Baby Girl Reid into her father’s arms and Spencer bent his head down to kiss his new daughter’s head.

 

“May I?” he asked the medical staff, with a nod of his head in Melissa’s direction. The doctor nodded and Spencer carefully took the few steps to Melissa’s side and held the baby up so Melissa could see her. He moved closer, and lowered their daughter level to Melissa’s head so that Melissa could see for herself.

 

Somewhat groggy due to the medications, Melissa’s words came out with difficulty but she managed to say, “Welcome to the world, beautiful little Erin Diana Maeve.”

 

After Spencer had had a few minutes to hold Erin, he laid her on Melissa’s chest for a moment so mother and daughter could bond skin to skin as well; holding Erin in place as Melissa’s arms weren’t fully functioning. Melissa tilted her head down to kiss her daughter’s forehead and the doctor interrupted the moment.

 

“We’ve got one more to go,” the doctor said with a smile.

 

 Sally took Erin from her father so the Apgar test could be completed and the baby properly cleaned up. 

 

Reid’s attention returned to the procedure, and the doctor showed him what was happening, “I’m just gonna pull back a bit here,” he said, “And you can see the infant,” he continued, “I’ll just take hold here, and pull gently.” Reid was euphoric, as he watched his son be lifted into the waiting towel borne by nurse number four, an obvious veteran named Pat. She whisked the baby aside to clean him off as the doctor handed Reid the scissors again and the new father cut his son’s cord. A moment later, the baby was returned to his father’s arms for the initial bonding and cuddle, and again Spencer moved to Melissa’s side.

 

“And here’s our son, Melissa,” he told her, “You did great, Sweetheart.”

 

“And welcome to you, too, handsome little Spencer Jason Aaron,” his mother cooed. Spencer held him close enough to Melissa so that she could kiss their son, he repeated the process of laying the baby on Melissa’s bare skin so they could bond and held little Spencer in place for a moment.

 

“If I could just take the little one for a bit of cleaning and his Apgar scoring, Dr. Reid,” Cathy requested, putting her arms out for little Spencer. Reluctantly, he relinquished the baby to the nurse and returned his attention to Melissa, stroking her face and promising her the babies would be back soon.

 

“They need to weigh and measure them, Melissa. Bath them, and do those tests. It won’t be long and they’ll be right back.”

 

 “The pediatrician will be on his way down soon to check them out. It won’t take long, by that time, Dr. Grayson here will have Melissa all stitched up.” Sally promised.

 

The doctor commented to the nurses assisting him as he worked, “I love the fact that the new parents are always so completely preoccupied that I can do the stitching and afterbirth unencumbered.” He winked at Sally and Pat as he finished his operative duties about half an hour later, and allowed the nurses to clean Melissa and dress the incision. The two nurses brought Erin and Spencer back to their waiting parents.

Melissa’s doctor finished instructing the nurses, then shook Spencer’s hand in congratulations. 

 

“Beautiful family, Dr. Reid, congratulations.”

 

“Thank you,” he said in a voice full of emotion, giving the doctor a grateful smile as the surgeon left the room.

 

After the nurses finished dressing Melissa’s incision, they wheeled her along to the Labour Recovery Room. The babies were placed into their isolettes for the five-meter journey down the hallway. Both started to cry and this upset Melissa who also began to tear up.

 

“No, Melissa, don’t. It’s a good thing, their lungs are strong and healthy.”

 

“I know,” she sniffled. “Hormones,” she laughed, “But would it be possible to keep them together in one isolette? They’re used to being together. I wonder if separating them is traumatic for them,” she worried.

 

The pediatrician entered the Recovery Room, effectively ending their conversation as he examined the babies. He started with Spencer; asking Melissa if he was to be circumcised to which she nodded. He told her he’d come back to perform that procedure tomorrow, generally he preferred the baby to be at least twenty-four hours old before doing that operation. After he finished examining little Spencer, and proclaiming him healthy for an almost three week premature infant, the doctor handed him over to Pat and moved to examine Erin. 

 

The nurse led Spencer out to a change room where he could remove the scrubs and get redressed in his own clothes. He hurried back to the Recovery Room, unwilling to be away from Melissa and the babies for any longer than necessary.

 

As he reentered the room, he could hear a baby crying. Erin he decided, already learning the differences between the two, as he stepped towards the isolettes. The nurse was holding Spencer in her arms and about to lay him in the second isolette. His little face scrunched up and he started to cry too. Reid intervened and asked that the baby be placed with his crying sister in the same isolette. Cathy complied; tucking little Spencer in next to Erin and both babies stopped crying.

 

Cathy returned her attention to Melissa, making sure she was comfortable in the bed and offered her apple juice. She introduced Melissa to Leeta, a nurse who was a lactating consultant and she sat down next to Melissa to discuss breastfeeding. Spencer reclaimed his iPhone from Cathy and stepped over to his children to take some photos.

 

“Melissa?” the nurse called for her attention, “I need you to wiggle your toes if you can.” The nurse was attempting to ensure Melissa was recovering from the epidural. She was trying to cooperate but she didn’t feel her toes, although she tried valiantly to move them anyway. Seeing her failure, tears welled up in her eyes. “Oh, no dear, don’t cry. It is a little soon still; I was just checking your progress. We’re going to move you to a patient room, but you’ll have to be a little more recovered first. Can you move your arms and hands?”

 

This task Melissa managed to accomplish and she felt a little better. Her husband returned to her bedside, and handed her his iPhone so she could look at all the photos Pat had taken for them earlier. Melissa’s fingers had no trouble navigating the phone and Cathy noticed this and beckoned Leeta over to their patient. After the Reids had gone through the photos for a few minutes, Leeta asked Melissa if she’d like to try nursing the babies now, one at a time for her first attempt.

 

“Can I?” Melissa was elated to hear this and Leeta helped her to sit up. As she did so, Cathy noticed her foot moving and asked her again about her toes and this time, Melissa successfully wiggled them.

 

Spencer looked in on the two babies and told them Erin was awake.

 

“Bring her over here, Dr. Reid,” Leeta requested and he did so. He placed Erin carefully into Melissa’s arms and both parents were happy to see their daughter recognised her mother—recognised by smell or touch, Spencer was sure—and Leeta showed Melissa how to best position the baby. Erin had difficulty latching on and Leeta repositioned her, and then suggested Melissa lean back a little more. After a few unsuccessful attempts, Erin figured it out and was happily nursing. Leeta suggested, since there were two babies to nurse, that Melissa give the first baby one breast, and the second baby the other one for this feeding, and then switch around in successive feedings, ensuring that both babies had both sides and that they took turns being fed first. After Erin finished nursing, Leeta showed Melissa the most effective way to burp a newborn. Erin fell asleep with a full belly and her father returned her to the isolette. He picked up her little brother and took him over to his mother.

 

Baby Spencer took to nursing immediately and happily fed for several minutes and then defecated on his mother.

 

“Whoops! Guess we should diaper him,” Melissa laughed as Leeta hurried to clean them both up.

 

“It’s actually a good sign,” she told Melissa, “It means his bowels and digestive system are working well.” She put the newly diapered little boy back in his mother’s arms to finish his feeding.

 

“You must be exhausted yourself, Melissa,” Leeta said, taking Spencer from her. She patted his back until he let out a resounding burp then swaddled him in a blanket and laid him next to his sister in the same isolette. He fell asleep almost immediately, their two tiny chests rising and falling in synchronicity. Melissa let out a happy sigh.

 

Spencer quietly asked the nurse if the babies would be in Melissa’s room with her. She replied with a hushed whisper that generally, the babies would spend sleep time in the nursery so the mother wouldn’t be disturbed and Reid asked that they leave Erin and Spencer with Melissa as much as possible. The nurse wrote on Melissa’s chart, noting his request.

 

“She needs to rest, Dr. Reid.”

 

“I’ll go get some breakfast and make a couple of calls, and be back in a while. She’ll still be here?”

 

The nurse nodded, assuring him that neither Melissa nor the babies would be moved to a patient room until Melissa had sufficiently recovered, and that wouldn’t happen without letting him know first.

 

Stepping beside his wife, Spencer brushed Melissa’s hair back from her face, leaned down and kissed her and spoke,

 

“I’m gonna go for a bit and let you sleep. I’ll let everyone know they’re here and they’re safe. Everybody’s healthy. And I’ll see if they’ll let me at least bring Anna in to visit.”

 

She nodded a thank you, squeezed his hand and laid back against her pillow, shut her eyes and let sleep claim her.

 

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“Yeah. Yeah, everyone’s good. Melissa was a trooper. She’s so brave. The babies are both doing great, doctor said, despite being almost three weeks early. Actually, for twins, they were remarkably healthy. Most premature babies have some difficulty, usually with—never mind. Erin and Spencer are healthy and Melissa is amazing.”

 

He listened for a moment as MaryBeth told him that all was well at home, Muttli was behaving, Anna was off to school and the house was still standing. He laughed and told her,

 

“I just wanna call JJ and the others and let them know. And I’ll be by later to pick up Anna and bring her in to see her mom. And her new siblings.”

 

He called JJ’s cell phone and was puzzled when it went unanswered and didn’t even go to voicemail. Putting his phone away in his pocket, he decided to go get something to eat and see about getting some flowers for Melissa.

 

As he headed down the hospital corridor and rounded a corner, he passed the waiting room and did a double take and stopped in his tracks as he recognised a half dozen faces.

 

Rossi, Lewis, JJ, Alvez, Prentiss and Garcia were sitting in a group and the first to notice Reid was Prentiss, who quickly rose and motioned to the others. 

 

In an instant, Reid was enveloped in hugs and besieged by congratulations from his happy coworkers. He happily received all their best wishes and stepped back to answer their questions.

 

“Melissa’s fine. She’s sleeping. In the Recovery Room, they’re gonna move her up to a patient room as soon as the IV she’s on is finished and they can give her pain medication orally. Although, knowing her, she isn’t going to take those anyway. And the babies, well,” he beamed even more as he spoke of the children, “Erin Diana Maeve and Spencer Jason Aaron are sleeping next to their mom and will be going with her once she’s moved to her room. 

 

He laughed and pulled his iPhone out of his pocket. “I have pictures!” 

 

Garcia practically ripped the phone from his hands and called up the photos. He stood back as she gushed over the babies, and answered the question she’d asked,

 

“Erin Diana Maeve arrived first, 4 pounds 9 ounces at 8:18 am. Spencer Jason Aaron followed at 8:36 am and he weighed in at 4 pounds 11 ounces. And I cut both their cords.”

 

“And when can we see the precious bundles, _Daddy_?” JJ asked, deliberately emphasizing daddy. They all laughed as he related that everyone was currently sleeping.

 

“A little later, they’re all sleeping right now. And I’m starving, I was just on my way to get something to eat—“ he began.

 

“Well, we haven’t eaten either, let’s go out for brunch!” Emily suggested.

 

“Is that an order?” Rossi teased. She met his gaze and laughed,

 

“Want me to make it one?” She shook her head to indicate she was kidding and the group left together.

 

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	10. Chapter 10

 

As they finished their brunch and the waitress brought around the coffeepot one more time, Rossi received a text message and excused himself from the table to make a call.

 

He returned a moment later, exchanged a meaningful glance with JJ and told everyone he was going to have to leave.

 

Waving his phone in the air, he explained, “Research for my book. One of the, um, interviews, I’ve been waiting for is coming through.”

 

 “Okay, then Dave, we’ll see you later?”

 

“I’ll be back, I wanna see the bambinos. And they’ll wanna meet their Uncle Dave.”

 

He hurried off and it triggered a thought in Reid’s mind.

 

“Don’t you guys have a case?”

 

They all looked innocently at each other then back at him and Emily replied, “Nope. I told Cruz we had a bunch of consults to work on. Told him to text me if we had a real emergency.”

 

“Cause the real draw is at the hospital,” Lewis said and nobody disagreed with that.

 

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After they’d eaten, JJ drove Reid, who had gone to the restaurant in her car, to a florist’s shop where he picked out an arrangement and rushed back to his waiting friend. She returned Reid to the hospital and dropped him off, then drove off to an appointment. He hurried down to the Recovery Room nurse’s station to find out whether Melissa was still there. Sally sat at the station desk and gave him a big smile when they made eye contact; rising immediately and ushering him down the hallway to the Recovery Room.

 

Sally opened the door and showed him in, Leeta was bustling around Melissa’s bedside. She caught Spencer’s eye and patted Melissa’s shoulder to get her attention.

 

Melissa was sitting up, nursing one of the babies and smiled broadly when she saw the enormous bouquet of white flowers come through the door. Her smile grew even wider when the bouquet was lowered and the face of her husband was revealed.

 

“Everyone sends their love,” he told her, setting the flowers down on a table and bending down to kiss her and stroke the baby’s head.

 

“How’s he doing?” Spencer asked, indicating the baby in her arms, and without letting her answer, “And you, Sweetheart, how are you feeling?”

 

“I am so good, Spence. And so is Spencer,” she turned him over her shoulder to burp him and then offered him to his father. “I just woke up about fifteen minutes ago, and so did he. He’s a good eater, Spence; it’s so good to see. And Erin’s a good sleeper,” she chuckled quietly, indicating their daughter, fast asleep in the isolette. “I was worried she’d wake up and cry when I took Spencer out for a feeding, she cried earlier when they were separated. But I guess tired beat out lonely for now.”

 

Spencer rocked his little namesake for a moment and saw Melissa was trying to get up out of the bed. Quickly, he laid the baby down next to his sister in the isolette and hurried to help Melissa out of bed.

 

“Are you supposed to be up?” he asked, voice full of concern.

 

“I’m supposed to be trying,” she replied, swinging her feet off the bed and taking his arm as she stood. “I need to go to the bathroom and I’ll be damned if I’m gonna use the flippin’ bedpan again.” Determined, she took several steps towards the patient bathroom, holding onto Spencer’s arm until she got to the door. 

 

“I’m okay,” she told him, releasing his arm and closing the door behind her, despite his protest. He waited by the door until she was done and had opened the door to reenter the room.

 

“Okay?” he asked again.

 

She nodded, took the arm he offered and padded over to the isolette where their babies slept soundly. He dropped her hand from his arm for a moment so he could take a photo of her standing with the twins, then ushered her back over to her bed.

 

“Have you eaten?” he asked her and got a nod in response.

 

“But I could use a sandwich.”

 

“I’m on it,” he told her, “I’ll be right back.” He gave her his iPhone in case she wanted to make a call or take some photos and quietly left the room in search of a nurse and food for Melissa.

 

Sally was in the corridor and after he asked, she promised to take care of it and he was back in the Recovery Room in under a minute. Not five minutes later, Sally entered the room with a tray that contained a sandwich, some fruit and a carton of milk for Melissa.

 

“Here you go,” she said as she set the tray before Melissa. “I have good news for you, too. We’ll be moving the three of you up to a patient room in a few minutes.”

 

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JJ steered through traffic and turned into a side street. She spoke into her Bluetooth piece,

 

“I’ll be there in a couple of minutes. Had to take Spence back to the hospital and we stopped at a florist first.”

 

She laughed at the reply and added, “Nope. No one suspects anything. MaryBeth is waiting, we’ll meet you back there in an hour?”

 

Pulling into the Reid driveway, she could hear Muttli barking as she parked. MaryBeth appeared at the front door and hurried down to the waiting car.

 

She got into the passenger seat and dismissed JJ’s apology for the tardiness, “It’s fine. I’m leaving the girls home with Muttli for a while. I hope they behave.”

 

JJ wheeled back out onto the road and they headed back to the hospital.

 

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The darkened windows of the SUV kept the occupants from view as the vehicle weaved its way through traffic on I95 north into the city. It made its way across the Potomac River and turned onto 23rd Street north to the hospital, pulling into the parking garage and parked.

 

The driver’s side door opened, and the driver stepped out of the vehicle, shutting it behind him and opening the rear passenger door. A man in white orderly scrubs stepped out and extended his hand in to aid the exit of a tall older blond woman, who was shaking and a little disoriented. The front passenger door opened, and a woman in a smart suit exited, rushing around to the back where the other three stood.

 

“Are you all right?” the suited woman asked the older one.

 

“Where are you taking me!” she demanded, angry but near tears.

 

“It’s okay, it’s okay. We’re almost there. Remember what we talked about last night.”

 

She looked from the attendant to the nurse to Rossi.

 

“The babies. We’re here for the babies,” she said.

 

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“You haven’t seen them in person yet either?” MaryBeth asked JJ as they hurried through the hospital’s front entrance.

 

“Nope,” JJ replied, “Everybody was sleeping by the time Spence came down to tell us of their arrival. We took him out for brunch, and then we stopped at a florist and—oh my God, he must be exhausted, he hasn’t slept since—he was telling me he was up most of the night, too excited to sleep.”

 

They skidded to a stop at the information desk in the front foyer of the hospital and asked for Melissa’s patient room number.

 

The desk attendant looked from MaryBeth to JJ and said, “She’s a maternity patient. It’s um, family only.”

 

MaryBeth glared at her, “Melissa is my sister and I came up here from Florida to see her.”

 

The attendant gave them Melissa’s room number and directions to get there then returned her attention to her phone.

 

“I would’ve flashed my creds if I had to,” JJ noted, “But _well played_!”

 

They got off the elevator and hurried down the hallway to Melissa’s room. Quietly, JJ opened the door and both she and MaryBeth said “awww” at the same time as they took in the sight of Melissa sitting up in her bed, nursing baby Spencer and Spencer sitting in a chair next to her rocking Erin and reading her a story from memory.

 

MaryBeth whipped out her cell phone and took a couple of photos before the parents even realised they had an audience.

 

JJ approached Spencer and cooed over Erin. Reid stood up, motioned for JJ to sit in the chair he’d just vacated and then put Erin into her arms.

 

“Holding a girl will feel so different from holding one of your sons,” he chuckled.

 

“She’s precious!” JJ fell in love instantly and was delighted by how comfortable Erin seemed to feel in her arms. 

 

Melissa burped baby Spencer then handed him off to his father, who moved away so she could hug her sister. The two of them chatted for several minutes, celebrating the twins’ safe arrival and female talk of post partum. Spencer moved closer to where JJ was seated, and rocked back and forth with his son in his arms while spoke to both babies, “And later today you will meet your big sister. And you will love her, I promise you. She will be the best big sister ever, she cannot wait to meet you two.” He paused and punctuated every couple of words with a kiss to a baby’s head, first Spencer and then Erin and suddenly JJ burst out laughing.

 

“I think _somebody_ needs her diaper changed.” 

 

Spencer handed baby Spencer over to MaryBeth and took Erin from JJ. “I’ll get it. I’m gonna hafta get used to this, right?”

 

Reid took Erin over to the isolette and swiftly changed the soiled diaper. He was prepared to have to fight the urge to be sick, or at least feel nauseous and he was quite pleasantly surprised to find that there was no objectionable smell. He cleaned her up as Leeta had shown him then re-diapered Erin in a fresh _Huggy_ and snapped the fasteners on her sleeper back in place. The entire operation took less than a minute. Even JJ was impressed.

 

“Nursed babies’ diapers don’t smell as bad as those fed formula,” Melissa informed him.

 

“I didn’t know that,” Spencer replied and then withstood the teasing of three females who jumped at the opportunity to needle him. After a few moments of good-natured banter, accepted in goodwill by the object of the ribbing, Melissa hugged him, called him a good sport then sat back down on her bed. Spencer then gave Erin to Melissa.

 

The perfect opportunity had arisen and JJ stood up and took Spencer’s arm. With Erin and Spencer happily situated in the arms of Melissa and MaryBeth respectively, JJ motioned to Spencer, “Let’s go get a coffee, and give them a chance to talk.” He nodded and followed her out the door, and once in the hallway, he immediately stopped and indicated he wanted to wash his hands in the restroom. As soon as he disappeared behind the door, JJ took out her cellphone and sent a text.

 

_On the way to the hospital coffee shop now._

 

Seconds later, the reply came.

 

_Message received. Plan in motion!_

 

Quickly, she put her phone away and took Reid’s arm when he reappeared from the restroom. They continued down the hallway and took the elevator down two floors to the main level. JJ engaged Spencer in chitchat, in an effort to distract him as they entered the coffee shop. He was interrupted midsentence.

 

“Spencer?” 

 

He heard his name and broke eye contact with JJ to look up.

 


	11. Chapter 11

“Mom! Wow, what are you doing here?!”

 

“Spencer!” she called out, immediately taking his face in her hands, stroking his cheeks and worrying about him out loud, “You’re not getting enough sleep. And you are still drinking too much coffee!”

 

He moved her hands from his face but held them in his own and leaned forward to kiss her on the cheek.

 

“Hi Mom! It’s great to see you.” He surveyed the group around him: a man in orderly wear, a woman in a suit, JJ and Rossi. His eyes narrowed, made contact with Rossi’s and Rossi confessed and made introductions.

 

“Elizabeth Simpson, a nurse I retained the services of for the duration. Tim Jackson, nurse and attendant. And I believe you already know the other two guilty parties,” he laughed, indicating JJ and himself. “Mr. Jackson flew out from Las Vegas with us, he’s actually Bennington staff who has been seconded to DC until we send him back. And Elizabeth I hired here, to stay at the mansion with your mother and Mr. Jackson.”

 

“Spencer?” Diana Reid interrupted to get her son’s attention. “Where are the babies?”

 

“Sit down, Mom,” he indicated the chair she’d been sitting in; and the mug and biscuits on the table in front of it. “Finish your tea and snack and we’ll go up and see them in a few minutes.” To encourage her, he took a seat next to her and invited the others to join them. Tim and Elizabeth declined, saying they were going to get themselves some lunch and discreetly wait for the Reids’ visit to be concluded.

 

JJ bent down to tell Spencer she was going to go pick up the children from school and would bring Anna over to the hospital so she could visit. He thanked her, and as she left Rossi returned with two coffees in his hand. He set one in front of Spencer and sat at Reid’s other side. Diana was preoccupied with her tea and Rossi took the opportunity to explain.

 

“JJ and MaryBeth wanted your mother to be able to see her grandchildren. JJ enlisted my help. So, I flew to Vegas on Friday and convinced the warden of the institute holding your mother that she could come out east,” he gestured as he spoke, “Stay at my mansion. All I needed was for him to allow it, and to let me bring your mother’s favourite attendant along. I promised warden I’d have a female nurse for her too. She’s doing really well, Spencer, she went for a walk through the grounds today, and Elizabeth and Mudgie went with her. Your mother really likes my dog.”

 

Reid smiled and thanked Rossi for his efforts, and they spent about half an hour in the coffee shop with Diana as she drank her tea and regaled her son with tales of her terror on the flight in from Vegas. 

 

Knowing she would have been sedated for the flight he guessed, “You had a bad dream on the plane, Mom?”

 

“I did,” she agreed. “A nightmare. An absolute nightmare.” She looked around and smiled at her only son, “But I made it. I’m here. Now, where are those grand babies?”

 

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The door to Melissa’s room opened, and Spencer ushered in David Rossi and Diana Reid. After introducing herself to them both, and thanking Rossi for his role in bringing Diana to them, MaryBeth excused herself and told Spencer she was going to go home. She kissed Melissa goodbye and pulled out her cell phone as she left, texting a message to JJ.

 

Melissa hugged her mother in law and took her hand, walking her over to the isolette where the babies were sleeping. Rossi followed with Reid and peeked at the sleeping angels then stood aside to allow Diana to move closer.

 

Diana smiled down at them for a moment and then Melissa led her to a chair to sit down. She still had Spencer’s iPhone and she picked it up off the table and quietly pulled up a chair beside Diana. Clicking the phone on, she proceeded to show Diana all the photos they’d taken. 

 

“They’ve been sleeping for about an hour, and I’m sure they’ll be awake soon, then you can see Spencer and Erin better,” Melissa told her. Diana didn’t quite understand how to scroll through the photos so Melissa helped her and suddenly Diana gasped.

 

Spencer, who’d been chatting with David Rossi heard the gasp and glanced over. Rossi excused himself, citing work and bade them goodbye, telling them he’d be back later. 

 

Diana was reading the screen and she read aloud,

 

“Erin Diana Maeve.” 

 

Melissa nodded. 

 

“You gave your daughter my name as a middle name?”

 

“Absolutely.”

 

A tear sprang to Diana’s eye, and her voice dropped to a whisper, “And you honoured Spencer’s first love too?”

 

Again Melissa nodded, her own eyes threatening to well up. 

 

Diana reached over and patted Melissa’s hand. “What a truly lovely girl you are.”

 

Her attention returned to the phone, and Melissa showed her baby Spencer’s photos. She gave Diana the phone and stood up to stretch her legs a bit and take a few steps. Diana looked through them all, savouring the moment and looked up to say, 

 

“I had the perfect son. The perfect baby. And still, somehow, he manages to grow into this wonderful man and one ups me with beautiful twins.”

 

“Aw, mom—“ Spencer started and the door to Melissa’s room opened again and in raced Anna. JJ waved and told them “Gotta run! Henry and MaryBeth are waiting for me downstairs; we brought Anna straight from school.” Reid walked to the door and called out a thank you as she disappeared down the hallway then turned back to the group assembled in the room.

 

Anna launched herself at Melissa who held out her hands to stop her. Spencer rushed over to help, knowing that Melissa was unable to pick up Anna until her stitches had healed.

 

“Hang on there, Anna. Shhh, the babies are sleeping. You’ll see them when they wake up, okay?” Spencer told her as he swept her up in his arms. “Let your Mom sit down first.” After Melissa was comfortably seated, Spencer set Anna down on her knee and she immediately threw her arms carefully around her mother’s neck. 

 

“I missed you so much, Anna.”

 

“I missed you too Mommy.” They snuggled for a long moment and Diana was transfixed, watching them closely. Finally, Anna climbed down off Melissa’s lap and stood shyly in front of Diana, who was enthralled by Anna’s sweet personality.

 

“Are you My Gramma Diana?” she asked tentatively.

 

Diana nodded, “I am indeed, Anna. You sweet girl. Just like your mother. You know, I tell everyone in the home that I live in just how smart and special you are.”

 

Anna beamed and stepped a little closer, inviting a hug with her open arms. Touched, Diana leaned forward and gathered Anna into her own arms and stroked her hair.

 

“Dear child, dear dear child,” she whispered as they continued to hug. “It is so wonderful to finally meet you. I have so many of your pictures and your lovely artwork in my room. And now I finally get to meet you.”

 

At that moment, a squeak emanated from the isolette. As Melissa made her way over to the babies, Spencer chuckled and said, “Sounds like he’s done with sleeping for now.” 

 

Sure enough, when Melissa looked down into the isolette, Erin was still sleeping, and Spencer was waving his little fists around. She picked him up and carried him over to where Diana was sitting. Anna had finally been released from the hug, and now stood before her grandmother. Melissa cuddled Spencer then offered him to Diana. His father held his breath, wondering if Diana would be able to properly hold an infant and he marveled at Melissa’s trust and confidence in her mother in law. Diana carefully held the baby, supporting his head with one hand and tucking him against herself.

 

“Just breathtaking,” she murmured. Anna stood next to her, staring in awe of her new baby brother. Melissa sat back down on the bed and patted the spot next to her. Anna eagerly climbed up and sat next to her and Diana beckoned her own son closer. As Spencer neared her, she handed him his baby and gestured towards Anna.

 

“I think somebody wants to hold her baby brother.”

 

He smiled broadly and waiting momentarily as Melissa anchored herself by Anna’s side to help support, then Spencer laid his baby namesake into Anna’s waiting arms.

 

“Look! Look Mommy! I’m holding My Spencer!”

 

“You are indeed, and he looks very happy to be there.”

 

Melissa and Diana laughed and Spencer reached for the iPhone to take pictures. Anna told her new baby brother all about Muttli and their house, and although he was too young to comprehend any of it, it was evident they were bonding. Anna was completely captivated by him and he was obviously content to be in her arms. 

 

A little while later, Melissa took baby Spencer from his older sister and told Anna that it was time to change and feed him. Anna quietly got the box of baby wipes and a diaper from the tabletop beside the isolette and brought them back to her mother. Melissa laid little Spencer down on her bed and showed Anna how she cleaned him and changed his diaper. Anna was a little disappointed that she wouldn’t be able to give Spencer a bottle but she remembered Melissa had told her about nursing the babies.

 

“Did I do that when I was a little baby too, Mommy?” she asked as she sat on the bed next to Melissa who was feeding Spencer.

 

“Uh huh. You sure did, Sweet Pea. That’s how you got to be such a big and strong girl.” 

 

“Can I touch him?”

 

“You can pat his head, Honey, but don’t distract him from what he’s supposed to be doing.” Melissa was careful to be as inclusive as she could with Anna. The older sister watched intently as the baby suckled. Melissa told her,

 

“He’ll be way more fun for you, Anna, when he’s a little older and you can play with him. Right now, all the babies do is eat, sleep, cry and mess their diapers.”

 

“And this one’s a champ,” his father intoned. He took Anna’s hand and helped her off the bed, suggesting they go look at her little sister now. “Quietly,” he said, putting his finger over his own lips to demonstrate, Anna tiptoed over to the isolette and peered at Erin.

 

“She’s beautiful, Daddy!”

 

“She certainly is, Sweet Pea, beautiful just like you.”

 

Anna whispered, “How long before she wakes up, Daddy?”

 

“Look,” he directed. “It looks like she’s thinking about it right now.”

 

Erin stirred and kicked her little legs, as much as she was able to, being swaddled in a blanket. Her eyes opened and she let out a huge yawn and Anna laughed. Spencer lifted her out of the isolette and motioned for Anna to walk back over to the bed.

 

Tenderly, he placed Erin into Diana’s hands and introduced them.

 

“Erin, this is your grandmother, my mom. Mom, this is Erin Diana Maeve Reid, all four pounds nine ounces of her.”

 

Diana blinked back tears as she cuddled the baby girl. She held Erin for several minutes, and then once again indicated to Spencer that Anna wanted to hold her little sister. He repeated the process of having her sit up on the bed, and placed Erin into her arms once Anna was settled. Anna was very careful to support the baby’s head and then she told her father,

 

“You have to take pictures again Daddy! I need a picture of me and my baby sister!” He complied, taking many photos, and then asked Anna if she wanted some pictures with her Gramma too.

 

“Oh, _yes_!” the little girl enthused. Looking over at Diana, she amended, “If it’s okay with Gramma Diana too.”

 

Spencer took Erin from Anna so she could climb down off the bed and stand beside Diana for pictures. Melissa was burping little Spencer and once that was accomplished, she laid him down in her lap so she could take Erin from her father and feed her too. 

 

Spencer took several photos of Diana and Anna and then he received a text alert. The message was from Diana’s attendant, informing Spencer that it was nearing time for her medication and that she could probably use a nap. The drive from the hospital to Rossi’s mansion was at least ten or fifteen minutes, Reid replied; indicating they should come up and take Diana to her temporary home. She spent the last few minutes before they arrived chatting happily with Anna, and kissed Anna goodbye as she left with her nurse. 

 

“We’ll see you again tomorrow, Mom,” Spencer promised her as she left. Shutting the door behind them, he turned to his family. “I want to get a couple of pictures of all of you,” he said, lifting Anna up and sitting her down on the bed next to Melissa. Spencer put Erin in Anna’s arms, snuggled up against her mother. Melissa picked little Spencer up from where he’d been laying in her lap and moved his blanket from his face. She posed with the three children as Spencer snapped a few photos.

 

A knock at Melissa’s door announced the arrival of Leeta, bearing a tray with Melissa’s dinner. She set the tray down on the side table and asked Reid for his phone. He complied, and was about to ask her when she gestured for him to sit next to Melissa and the kids on the bed.

 

“Family picture!” Leeta explained as she took several photos for them. “And now it’s dinner time for mom here. I’m going to take the babies down to the nursery for a while so you can eat your dinner.”

 

Spencer picked Anna up as Leeta and Melissa each put one of the babies back into the isolette. She blew kisses to her little siblings and Spencer kissed Melissa, then said,

 

“I’m gonna take Anna home, get some dinner into her and put her to bed. She’s had a long day. And speaking of long days, Mel, I think you could probably use some food and some rest too.”

 

Standing behind Melissa, Leeta nodded her agreement and addressed her, “Perhaps you’d like to take a bath or shower yourself, Melissa?”

 

“That does sound wonderful,” Melissa acknowledged. She kissed Anna and then Spencer and he took one of her hands briefly.

 

“This has just been an incredible, incredible day. I can’t even—“ he paused, bit his lip, squeezed her hand and then leaned forward and kissed her cheek. “Thank you. Thank you for Anna, for Spencer and Erin, for you, for us. I love you Melissa,” he choked back tears and promised, “We’ll be back tomorrow. You need to eat. And sleep.”

 

Anna kissed Melissa once more, and then she and her father left for home. Leeta settled Melissa back in her bed, pulled the wheeled tray with her dinner on it around so she could eat. She told Melissa she’d be back in a few minutes and then maneuvered the isolette out the door and down the hallway to the nursery.

 


	12. Chapter 12

 

Her door opened, and one of the nurses who’d helped with the C-section the previous day wheeled in an empty isolette. Melissa’s brow furrowed in an unspoken question and Pat caught the look.

 

“It’s for your son, dear.”

After Melissa had eaten and showered the previous evening, she’d fallen asleep for several hours until the night nurse had brought the twins back to her at about two a. m. for feeding. They’d spent the night in the room with her, and Spencer had awakened again at about four. She’d fed him again, rocked him for a few moments and settled him back down. Just after six in the morning, Erin had awakened demanding to be fed and again Melissa had arisen, changed the baby’s diaper and nursed her. She had just put Erin back down when Pat entered the room with the second isolette.

 

“I’m just going to take little Spencer down to the O-R for his procedure,” Pat told her. Melissa watched as the isolette bearing her day old son went out the door with the nurse.

 

She dropped down onto the bed and cried inconsolably for several minutes.

 

Just before seven a.m. the day nurse came into Melissa’s room with her breakfast and was concerned to find her lying on the bed crying.

 

“Oh dear,” Cathy said, putting the tray down and hurrying to Melissa’s side. “You’re having your blue day,” she said sympathetically, helping Melissa sit up and wiped at her eyes. She was shaking her head no, and Cathy tried to console her, “It’s natural, Honey, it happens to almost every mother. Within a day or two of birth, your hormones are still a mess and you’re trying to normalise. Don’t worry, Melissa, it’ll pass.”

 

Melissa shook her head again, and gestured towards the isolette. Cathy noticed only Erin sleeping peacefully and realised what was troubling Melissa.

 

“Oh, Honey, your wee one has gone in for his procedure hasn’t he?” 

 

She nodded miserably and got up off the bed.

 

“I’m telling you it will be fine. Just fine. Better to have it done now than when he’s older. Trust me, Sweetie.” 

 

Melissa sniffled and caught her breath, trying hard to stop the sobbing. She was pacing around the room, holding her belly with one hand and a tissue to her eyes with the other.

 

Cathy shook her head and told her,

 

“No, Hon, let it out. It’s gonna happen anyway, it’s normal to have the baby blues. Completely normal, just let it happen, dear and it will pass, I promise you.”

 

Melissa nodded.

 

“Now come sit down and eat, he will be back before you know it and he will be so hungry!” She patted the bed then reached out and caught Melissa’s arm, “Come on.”

 

Sighing, Melissa complied, sitting down on the bed.

 

“That’s good, now. Please eat. I have your pain meds here too.”

 

“No.” Melissa told her in no uncertain terms. “I don’t want any of those.”

 

“Melissa, don’t be a martyr—“

 

“I’m not. I don’t want to take anything that I could pass on to the babies through my milk.”

 

“It’s a Tylenol based—“

 

“No. I’m not taking it.” She said again. Melissa was thinking ‘ _if you’re trying to make me stop crying by pissing me off, it’s working_.’

 

“All right,” Cathy conceded. “But please eat your breakfast, the little one will be back soon.”

 

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Spencer opened the door to Melissa’s room and found her sitting in the chair beside her bed clutching a baby—Spencer he noted—to her chest and staring blankly ahead. It was evident she’d been crying.

 

He moved quietly towards her, whispering, “Mel?’

 

She turned to face him—and promptly broke into a fresh bout of tears.

 

“Melissa!” he said in a more concerned voice and rushed forward, dropping the bag he’d been holding on her bed.

He enveloped her in as much of a hug as he could with a baby between them, “Sweetheart, what is it? What’s wrong?”

 

She buried her head in his chest and sobbed. He tried to take Spencer from her and she held on tight and mumbled ‘no’.

 

“Okay, okay you hold on to him, but Melissa, please, what’s the matter?”

 

She lifted her face to make eye contact with him and let the tears overflow before managing to sputter out “Poor baby had the circumcision.”

 

“Ah. Oh,” he considered his words carefully, drew her close and rubbed her back, “Look he’s fine, he’s in his mother’s arms, in his most secure place, Mel.”

 

They both looked down into the cherubic face. His lips moved, as though he was nursing in his sleep and his father smiled. “He’s dreaming about you.”

 

“The nurse said I’m having the baby blues day. My hormones are all screwed up and trying to get back to normal. And then poor Spencer, had to have,” she trailed off, stroking the sleeping baby’s head.

 

“You’re taking this harder than he is,” her husband pointed out.

 

“He hasn’t awakened yet,” she said in a slightly worried tone.

 

“He will, and he’ll be fine. Trust me.”

 

From the isolette, they heard Erin wake up and now Melissa had no choice but to give Spencer to his father so she could feed Erin. Already, after just one day, Melissa had the routine down. From baby’s outcry to changed diaper to settled in for feeding, less than two minutes had passed. 

 

Spencer walked around the room carrying his namesake, rocking the baby gently in his arms. He watched as Erin fed, chuckled when she let out a tremendous burp as Melissa patted her back. They traded babies and Melissa began crying again a few minutes later when baby Spencer woke up and started bawling.

 

She laid him down on the bed to change his diaper and winced as he screamed even more when she cleaned him. Working as quickly as she could, she put a fresh diaper on him, closed up his sleeper and after climbing into the bed, picked him up and cuddled him against her chest. She nudged his face against her breast and heaved a sigh when he latched on and stopped crying immediately. Both mother and son calmed visibly and Spencer let out a sigh of relief surprising himself as he realised he’d be holding his own breath anxiously.

 

Sometime after breakfast, Diana Reid came to visit them again, brought by her attendant. Tim said he would be in the coffee shop if they needed him but wanted to be discreet and let them have their visit without his presence. Reid smiled as he watched Diana sitting in a chair with Erin nestled in the crook of one arm, and an open book on her lap. Diana was reading to Erin who conveyed the appearance of giving her complete attention.

 

MaryBeth returned to visit after dropping Anna and Henry off at school. She laughed as she told Melissa and Spencer about the abrupt change of plans.

 

“JJ was gonna come by after taking the kids to school this morning, but wouldn’t you know it, they have a case! They got sent down south somewhere, Mississippi I think. Anyway, JJ called me at seven this morning and asked if I could take the kids to school.”

 

MaryBeth took Melissa for a walk down the hospital corridors. While her sister wasn’t allowed out of the hospital, MaryBeth did ensure that their walk took them past the large bank of windows that overlooked the park behind the building. Melissa saw the fall colours and managed a smile.

 

“Having your blue day, aren’t you?” MaryBeth probed.

 

Melissa nodded and replied, “Yeah, but mostly I just felt really bad for little Spencer. I’m okay, M-B.”

 

“He’ll be all right,” MaryBeth told her, “And you know what would be really good for you?” she began, not waiting for an answer she continued, “We should go for a walk every day while I’m here.”

 

Nodding, Melissa asked, “Did you get the cake?” 

 

“Yep, I’ll bring it when I bring Anna by later.”

 

They returned to her room a little while later, and Melissa seemed to be in better spirits. Diana had left with her attendant and Spencer was sitting in the chair she’d vacated, with Erin in one arm and reading the newspaper he’d spread out on the bed. His son slept soundly in the isolette.

 

After Melissa’s lunch had arrived and she’d eaten it, the babies each woke up and she repeated the cycle of changing and feeding them. Erin opted for a nap after her feeding and her Aunt MaryBeth gently laid her in the isolette after several minutes of cuddling.

 

Baby Spencer exhibited less reaction to pain than he had earlier, and fed voraciously. Melissa was buoyed by this improvement and MaryBeth was relieved. She took her brother in law aside and told him she was going home for a while and would be back later with Anna. He handed her his car keys and nodded his acknowledgement of her plans.

 

With both babies sleeping after their feedings, Spencer suggested Melissa take advantage of the quiet and have a nap of her own. He told her he was going to go get something to eat in the hospital coffee shop and would be back in an hour or so.

 

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After finishing the turkey and Swiss cheese sandwich he’d ordered, Spencer started in on his raspberry Jell-O. A text alert on his phone sounded and he withdrew the device from a pocket to check it. 

 

The message was from Alvez: _pls check ur email. Sorry to bug u but need help. Sending u files, would appreciate ur thoughts._

 

Reid checked his email and found the message to which Alvez was referring. He read through all the information and quickly texted Alvez in reply.

 

_Please send me a map of the immediate area if possible Luke?_

 

He finished his Jell-O and heard the text alert again. Opening it immediately, he found the map he’d requested and cross-referenced in his mind some of the information Alvez had already sent him. Almost instantly, his mind put together the pieces and he hastily sent Alvez a text.

 

_Think it might be someone from the library, Luke. It’s closest to both of the disposal sites and you profiled the unsub as intelligent and a loner. See if there’s an employee there who fits your profile._

 

He drank up the last of his coffee, put away the phone, took his garbage to the provided containers and made his way back to his family.

 

Melissa was still asleep when he entered the room so he peeked in on his children and then sat down in the chair, and picked up the newspaper to read.

 

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	13. Chapter 13

She dropped Henry off at home and then drove to the hospital. Anna sat in her booster seat in the back and sang along to the sound of Adele on the car radio. In no time at all, they’d arrived at their destination. MaryBeth helped Anna out of her seat then locked the car, opening the truck to retrieve a cake box and a bag of supplies. Anna offered to carry the bag, an offer MaryBeth gratefully accepted as she carried the cake box in both hands and asked Anna to be mindful to stay right by her side. MaryBeth hated that she couldn’t hold the child’s hand as they crossed the parking lot into the hospital, but the journey was made without incident.

 

They made their way to Melissa’s room and found Spencer and Melissa quietly talking as the twins slept in their isolette. Melissa looked up and her face lite up in a smile when she realised Anna had arrived, and MaryBeth had brought the requested cake.

 

“Mommy!” Anna said in an excited loud whisper, tossing the bag on the bed and hugging her mother.

 

MaryBeth set the box down on the tray table and waited her turn. After Anna released Melissa, she hugged Spencer and MaryBeth moved in for her own embrace with her sister.

 

“What’s this?” Spencer asked, indicating the box.

 

“M-B?” Melissa invited.

 

MaryBeth took the bag from the bed and pulled out paper plates and spoons, and a knife. She opened the box and pulled the cake out and set it back on the table, and then turned to Spencer,

 

“No candles allowed in here because of fire regulations, but,” she trailed off, indicating with a swoop of her hand that he should have a look at the cake.

 

As he moved around the bed to get close enough to see it, Anna sang out, 

 

“Happy birthday Daddy!”

 

“Aw, this is really wonderful,” he inspected the cake, approved of the purple icing and trim and accepted a birthday kiss from Melissa. They crowded around and sang a hushed version of the happy birthday song then Spencer cut and served cake to them all.

 

“I made you a card,” Anna told him, and handed him a folded piece of purple construction paper.

 

He opened it and read it and tears sprang to his eyes. She’d outdone herself, drawing a lovely picture of their new family and Muttli wasn’t forgotten either amidst the crayon and glitter, and ‘Happy Birthday Daddy! Love, Mommy, Anna, Erin, Spencer and Muttli’.

 

“It truly is, Anna. The best birthday of my life,” he kissed her, kissed Melissa, and upon making eye contact with MaryBeth, sought her permission to kiss her as well which she happily gave.

 

As everyone was eating cake, the door to Melissa’s room opened and her doctor arrived. Quickly, Melissa served him a piece of cake as well and he accepted with a laugh.

 

After they had all eaten their cake, the doctor indicated he was actually there to examine his patient so Spencer, Anna and MaryBeth said their goodbyes and left. 

 

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He lay in their bed alone that night, finding it difficult to fall asleep. Knowing that going downstairs would disturb Muttli he decided to stay in bed, which frustrated him further. He rolled over and sighed. Five minutes later, he rolled over and sighed again. He almost jumped when his iPhone chimed.

 

He reached out onto the nightstand and fumbled around until he found his glasses, put those on and then fumbled around again for his phone. 

 

The clock radio read 10 15 pm which wasn’t really all that late though Reid was especially tired since the last two days had been so full. He clicked the phone on and surprised to see he had several text messages. Both JJ and Alvez had texted him to thank him for his help with their case. He smiled at Alvez’ text: _Thanks bro, that really helped!_ JJ’s was _How did you know that! Thanks!_ Followed by _Happy Birthday Spence!!_

and the last text meant the most to him. It was from Melissa and said ‘ _Doctor says we can go home tomorrow’_ followed by an uncharacteristic number of smiley faces and exclamation points. As excited as that made him, it also served to soothe him and he lay back down in the bed, happy to know his family would soon all be home with him. He was asleep in less than five minutes.

 

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They raced around the kitchen busily in the morning. MaryBeth made a lunch for Anna for school and Maya and Maddie helped get Anna up and ready for school.

 

After Will stopped by to pick Anna up, MaryBeth’s girls begged to be allowed to take Muttli for his walk and she consented, telling them not to let him off the leash under any circumstances.

 

They left with the dog and MaryBeth finished tidying up the kitchen. She served herself a cup of coffee from the pot she’d brewed earlier and sat down in the living room with it and the phone. After a few sips of coffee, she decided it was after eight am and should be okay to call Melissa now so she dialed the speed dial number for Melissa’s cell and waited. 

 

It went to voicemail and MaryBeth figured Melissa was probably busy with one of the babies so she left a message, set the phone back in its cradle and after finishing her coffee, went back into the kitchen. 

 

She heard a door slam upstairs and wondered about that and was surprised when Spencer rushed into the kitchen and skidded to a stop in front of her.

 

“Oh, I thought you were up and out already,” she told him.

 

“I overslept!” he complained, “Has Anna already gone to school?”

 

MaryBeth nodded and Spencer swore, “Dammit, I had something to tell her.” He sighed and spied the coffee pot and asked, “May I?”

 

She sputtered and said, “You’re kidding? This is _your_ house, Spencer. Have at it!” she invited.

 

He pulled a mug from the cupboard and filled it, then moved a few feet down the counter to the sugar bowl. MaryBeth’s eyes widened as she watched him put spoonful after spoonful of sugar into the coffee and she tried to stifle a laugh.

 

He heard it and smiled mischievously. “Well, I have some news.”

 

He also had her undivided attention at those words. He stirred the sugar, opened the fridge and got out the milk. After adding some to his coffee mug, he returned the jug to the fridge and deliberately hid his face from her as he took his time with this action. He sipped the coffee, made a face and moved back down the countertop to the sugar bowl where he slowly added another spoonful of sugar. MaryBeth came to the end of her patience and barked,

 

“Spill it! For heaven’s sakes!”

 

He laughed and took another sip of his coffee.

 

“Spencer Reid! I swear I’m gonna—“ she stepped around the island and waved a finger at him.

 

He was shaking with laughter now and managed to say, “You sounded _just_ like Melissa right there.” Taking a breath, he continued, “Okay, okay!” He held out his hand in a gesture of peace and happily announced “Melissa and the babies are coming home today.”

 

MaryBeth simultaneously squealed in delight and lamented ‘oh no!’ The contradictory reaction confused Spencer. MaryBeth saw the puzzled look on his face and laughed.

 

“That’s great, really. I just wanna make sure everything perfect for their homecoming,” she told him. 

 

“Well if you need to go out, you can have the car 'til about eleven thirty. Melissa’s doctor is just gonna see her again, and the pediatrician is gonna check out the babies and then we can bring them home.”

 

MaryBeth thanked him and hurried around the house making sure everything was clean and in place and seeing if anything was needed. 

 

The girls returned with Muttli who greeted Spencer excitedly and happily set about eating the breakfast Maya put out for him.

 

“Maddie, Maya, is your surprise ready for the babies?” MaryBeth called from the living room.

 

“Yes. We finished it last night mom!” Maya yelled back. MaryBeth came back into the kitchen.

 

“I’m sorry. Shouldn’t be yelling like that. There will be two new babies in the house later today and we need to be more considerate.”

 

“They’re coming home today?!” Maya was ecstatic. Can we do anything Mom?”

 

“Oh, dear, really? Thank you! I need to finish my gift, so I could really use undisturbed time with the sewing machine. Would you two mind making sure the house is vacuumed and dusted? Make sure everything’s neat in your room and in the babies’ room. And Maya, I thought we’d do salad and spaghetti and meatballs for dinner tonight. Do you think you could manage that? The meatballs are actually already made.”

 

“Absolutely mom!” The girls set about those chores immediately. 

 

MaryBeth caught Maya’s arm as they headed towards the stairs. 

 

“And let me know right away if you find we need something.”

 

Maya nodded, MaryBeth patted her arm and thanked her and then headed to the dining room where her craft materials and the sewing machine were set up.

 

Spencer sat at the kitchen table with his coffee and breakfast and read the fourteen morning papers to which he was subscribed. The girls got all the cleaning done and asked if they could take Muttli out into the yard to play, which Spencer permitted immediately.

 

Finally, around half past eleven in the morning, he told MaryBeth he was going to go to the hospital and she saw him off, telling him everything would be set by the time they got home.

 

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“It’s amazing what delivering a baby or two will accomplish, Melissa,” her doctor smiled as he indicated she could get dressed. He pulled the curtain around to give her some privacy to do that, but continued to talk to her.

 

“The swelling in your ankles and legs is almost gone, that’s excellent. And your blood pressure is remarkably lower than it was last time I saw you in the office.”

 

He scribbled a few notes in her chart and asked her, “How’s your eating? Digestion? Bowels?” ticking off ‘good’ as she replied to each. “I understand you had a blue day yesterday.”

 

“I’m okay, doctor. I think it was mostly because baby Spencer had that procedure.”

 

“Ah. Mother’s guilt. Yes. But as the pediatrician said, Spencer is doing just fine. So is Erin. Remarkably well, considering they’re a little premature. Their lungs and internal organs are all in good shape, according to the pediatrician. Are you having any issues with nursing?”

 

“Nope.”

 

“Stitches?”

 

“Starting to itch.”

 

He acknowledged this, wrote it in her chart and Melissa stepped out from behind the curtain fully dressed in street clothes. 

 

“That’s a good sign, it means they’re healing. But you already know all this of course, this isn’t your first C-section.”

 

Melissa nodded.

 

“So, in conclusion,” he began, “Everything is going well, everybody is doing well. Why are you still here?” he asked with a twinkle in his eye.

 

She had to restrain herself from hugging him and instead said, “So, it’s official? We can go home?”

 

“Absolutely, I’ll just sign some paperwork and go down to the nurses station. The pediatrician’s nurse has some paperwork for you and will want to work out a visit schedule for the twins. Best wishes, Melissa, and congratulations,” he extended his hand, which she took and then pulled him into a hug and whispered,

 

 “Thank you.”

 

Minutes after the doctor left, Spencer arrived. He was surprised but pleased to find Melissa dressed in dark pants and a sweater.

 

Indicating her clothing, he asked, “Does this mean we can go home?”

 

She threw her arms around him in a hug and answered, “Yes!”

 

“Well, then let’s do this.” He turned as the nurse came into the room with a wheelchair. His brow furrowed in an unspoken question and Leeta explained,

 

“Hospital policy. Mother goes in a wheelchair with baby in her arms. Hmm. Two babies. I’ll need another nurse, I’ll be right back.”

 

Melissa gathered her things together and tossed them into the bag Spencer had brought. Erin was awake and Spencer lifted her out of the isolette and changed her diaper and dressed her in the outfit Melissa had set out.

 

“Gonna feed them before we go?” he asked.

 

She shook her head. “They just ate an hour ago. If we leave in the next little while, we should be home in time for their next feedings.”

 

“All right then, you’ll let me know whatever I can do to help, right, Mel?”

 

She nodded, touched her head against his shoulder and told him, “Just being with us, being there when I need you, when they need you. That’s all I need to know.”

 

He kissed her temple and promised he’d always be there when he was needed.

 

Leeta returned with Pat and asked, “How do you want to do this?”

 

Melissa pointed at the wheelchair, “Guess that’s for me,” she said, sitting in it when Leeta nodded.

 

Spencer waited until she was comfortably seated, then he lifted his sleeping son out of the isolette and placed him in his mother’s arms.

 

“If he wakes up, Mel’s his favourite person, I figure this is most comfortable for him,” Spencer told the nurses.

 

Leeta indicated she would push the wheelchair, Spencer handed Erin over to Pat and then picked up Melissa’s bag and the floral arrangement he’d brought her two days ago and followed the nurses out the door.

 

At the hospital’s front entrance, Reid told the nurses he would go get the car and moments later; he pulled up in front of where they were waiting.

 

Pat secured Erin in one of the car seats Spencer had installed earlier in the day, checking to make sure everything was properly set up. She took Spencer from Melissa and repeated the process, putting the youngest Reid into his car seat. Spencer sat the floral arrangement in Anna’s booster seat and secured it in place with the belt and then stowed her bag in the vehicle’s hatch. Finally, he gave Melissa his arm and helped her into the passenger seat and they thanked the nurses and waved goodbye as Spencer took the driver’s seat and wheeled the car away.

 


	14. Chapter 14

Muttli began to bark crazily, alerting MaryBeth and the girls that the Reid family had arrived home. Spencer parked in the driveway rather than in the garage where the cousins met them. MaryBeth was right behind them, hurrying to Melissa’s door to open it and help her exit the car.

 

Spencer opened the trunk and Maddie took the bag from him, “I’ll get it, Uncle Spencer,” she told him. 

 

He opened the rear door and reached past Erin to get the floral arrangement, which he passed to Maya to take into the house. After unbuckling Erin, he picked the sleeping girl out of the car seat and handed her into Melissa’s arms. MaryBeth accompanied them into the house and Spencer went around to car’s other side. He removed Spencer from the car seat, stood up and kicked the car door shut, locked it with the remote and followed the others into the house.

 

“This way,” MaryBeth directed them to the living room. She’d set up the portable baby bed against one wall, and Melissa and Spencer laid the two babies down in it. 

 

MaryBeth slipped into the kitchen and returned several minutes later with a mug of herbal tea for Melissa. She looked at Spencer and apologised, “Whoops, sorry, guess I should’ve asked you if you wanted some too.”

 

“It’s okay,” he told her.

 

“All right then, you’re on your own for tea,” she laughed. “I’ll be back in a few minutes, I need to tidy up the mess I made in the dining room,” she waved a hand towards that room and both Melissa and Spencer laughed,

 

“Look, MaryBeth,” Melissa directed. 

 

The dining room had been tidied. Maya and Maddie stood in the doorway and giggled, “You said to clean the house, Mom, so we did after we saw that you were finished.”

 

“They’re so good!” Melissa praised.

 

Spencer chose that moment to wake up and start wailing for feeding and Melissa picked him up to do so. His crying woke Erin up and her father lifted her out of the bed and carried her around until she settled. 

 

Melissa nursed Spencer, and Maya and Maddie shyly watched from the doorway. Their aunt beckoned them closer.

 

“Come, sit down. We don’t mind if you want to watch, see how it’s done. If it’s okay with M-B,” she added. Their mother nodded and the girls quickly sat on either side of Melissa, enthralled by the process. Spencer nursed eagerly, putting his little hand out on Melissa’s chest and she covered his hand with one of her fingers, stroking it as he fed. After he was done, she burped him and then she asked Maddie if she’d like to hold him.

 

MaryBeth’s youngest was ecstatic and immediately positioned herself as Melissa directed and held her baby cousin. He was comfortable and secure and didn’t cry as Maddie cuddled him.

 

Spencer handed Erin to her mother and Melissa nursed her daughter. They all laughed as Erin managed to fall asleep while feeding. Gently, Melissa laid Erin over her shoulder to burp her, and then offered Maya the opportunity to hold her. MaryBeth quickly got out her cell phone and took several photos of her daughters with their cousins.

 

After each of them had a chance to hold the babies, Melissa asked them to put the twins back into the portable bed to let them sleep.

 

Spencer supervised this move and then MaryBeth ushered the girls out of the living room.

 

“Melissa, why don’t you take advantage of them sleeping and have a nap, too?” her husband suggested, offering an arm to help her up.

 

“I will, but actually, I’d rather just nap here, Spence,” she told him, indicating the couch. 

 

She curled up on it and he covered her with the same blanket that had arranged over her favourite chair earlier while they were preparing the house for the homecoming.

 

“I’m gonna go get Anna from school,” Spencer told MaryBeth, “I’ll text JJ so she knows. I missed her this morning and I don’t want her to feel left out of things.”

 

 

An hour later, the car pulled into the garage and Spencer brought Anna into the house. Melissa was sitting in the kitchen drinking a glass of milk and Anna joined her. 

 

They shared a long hug and Anna played with Melissa’s long hair. “I missed you, Mommy. Welcome home!”

 

“I missed you too, Sweet Pea, I’m so happy to be home again.”

 

“Okay, girls, I suppose it’s time,” MaryBeth announced, knowing that her own girls had been itching since Melissa’s arrival home to share their surprise. They peeked in on the babies to make sure they were both still soundly sleeping then the group headed upstairs to the babies’ room.

 

Spencer opened the door to the twins’ bedroom and motioned Melissa inside. Pinned along the length of one wall was a banner made by the three older girls and Melissa burst into tears at the sight:

 

 _‘Welcome home baby Erin Diana Maeve and baby Spencer Jason Aaron with lots of love from your sister Anna and your cousins Maya and Maddie_ ’ was neatly lettered and coloured amidst a backdrop of rainbows and hearts. MaryBeth had discouraged the use of glitter for the babies’ room and the girls complied, understanding the dangers.

 

“This is absolutely lovely, girls!” Melissa glowed with happiness. “Thank you so much! The colours are fabulous, and they match the room!”

 

There were hugs all around and then Melissa turned and noticed that fastened on the wall above the two cribs were the children’s names, fashioned in puffy, cotton cloth multi-coloured letters, ‘ _Spencer_ ’ and ‘ _Erin_.’

 

She reached out and touched one, and addressed her sister, “Oh my God, you _made_ these, didn’t you?” 

 

MaryBeth nodded.

 

“They’re gorgeous! And they’re done in the primary colours like we did their room,” Melissa noted. “Thank you so much!” she hugged her sister.

 

MaryBeth, knowing that Melissa planned to have the twins sleep together initially, asked, “Which crib are you planning on using for now?”

 

“This one,” she indicated the one closer to the door. MaryBeth reached up and plucked the names off the wall, then held them both next to each other in front of the closer crib.

 

“It’s a sticky hook system,” she explained, moving the hooks from one spot to the new one and attaching the names in the new location.

 

“This is just fantastic,” Melissa enthused, hugging them all again.

 

The moment was interrupted by a wail from downstairs. 

 

“Stay here,” Spencer directed, “I’ll go get him.”

 

He hurried out the door and down the stairs.

 

MaryBeth looked at Melissa, “How can he tell which one is crying like that?”

 

“He’s a profiler, M-B. He studies behaviour,” she laughed in reply.

 

He returned with baby Spencer, quickly changed his son’s diaper then turned him over to his mother for feeding. She sat in the rocking chair in the twins’ room and nursed him. 

 

MaryBeth went downstairs for Erin and returned with her niece a moment later.

 

“All right girls, can we go back downstairs and finish making dinner?” MaryBeth requested and her daughters scurried downstairs after her to do as she asked.

 

 Anna and Spencer gave Erin a tour of her room; although her young eyes were not yet focusing, her hearing was excellent and she found her father’s voice particularly soothing. 

 

He rocked her as he read a story by heart, lowering his face close to hers so the sound of his voice wouldn’t distract her little brother.

 

After Spencer was done feeding, he was handed off to his father, who repeated the room tour. He read his son a story and Anna introduced him to all the stuffed toys in the crib.

 

Once both babies had fallen asleep, their parents put them down in the crib next to each other and then each took one hand of their older child and left the room.

 

Anna held their hands and looked up at them. “Thank you for giving me a brother and a sister,” she said in a most solemn and serious voice.

 

“Anna,” Melissa’s voice cracked, “Thank you for being such a precious, wonderful big sister.”

 

The threesome walked into the master bedroom. Melissa wanted to lie down for a while and Anna asked if she could stay with her.

 

“Of course!” Melissa invited, patting the bed beside her as she dropped down onto the bed. Anna climbed up next to her and Spencer covered them both with a blanket. He kissed each of them, and as they closed their eyes, he stepped out into the hall. 

 

He stood by the closed door, grateful for the safe arrival of two healthy babies, the gift of Anna and Melissa, the love he never thought he’d find. Life was truly full of surprises, and Spencer was looking forward to the surprises to unfold in the next chapter of his life.

 

 

 _“There is no surprise more magical than the surprise of being loved”—_ Charles Morgan

 

 

-fin-

 


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